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Los Angeles police received an unusual call on Tuesday, after a man reported seeing two women loading a 4ft alligator into a van and driving off. Fearing that the women were planning to abandon the creature in the desert, the retired police officer tailed them as he contacted the authorities. When police pulled the van over the driver admitted to having the alligator, and added that a kangaroo was on board too. Snap shot: Spike the alligator poses on a police car after his owners were pulled over in California . The women explained they were part of the Zoo to You project, which brings exotic creatures to schools. Unfortunately the alligator, named Spike, has soiled his cage on the way back from Quartz Hill Elementary School and the women had pulled over to clean him up. Deputy Michael Rust told the Los Angeles Times that at first he did not believe the call about the exotic animals. 'When I heard it on the radio, I'm thinking, "Yeah, an alligator. OK",' he said. 'Maybe an iguana, but an alligator?' Realizing that no creatures were in danger of being harmed, the police took a few 'snaps' of the alligator on their police car, before sending him on his way. Alligators get their heat from sunning themselves on rocks so, as well as enjoying being the center of attention, Spike also made the most of his chance to warm himself on the police car. Partner in crime: When police pulled over the Zoo to You van, the drivers admitted they had a kangaroo too . Restroom break: Zoo to You had pulled over to give Spike the alligator a bathroom break on the way home . In their report, the Los Angeles Police . Department said: 'It seems the alligator forgot to use the restroom . before leaving the school and soiled its cage. This caused the ladies to . stop,' NBC 4 reported. The Zoo to You project in Paso Robles offers permanent homes to abandoned, injured or abused wild and exotic animals, from tigers and alligators, to lizards, porcupines and eagles. Some of the animals are used in their education program and are taken to schools to help teach children about conservation. It is not the first time Spike has been the center of attention. In April he met Jay Leno as he appeared on The Tonight Show. Celebrity status: Jay Leno met Spike the alligator on The Tonight Show in April . Campaign: Zoo to You cares for abandoned exotic animals, and raises awareness about conservation . The talk show host rubbed his belly to send him to sleep on the show, aired on April 5. When Spike was pulled over by police, he was traveling back from an elementary school with Zoo to You's kangaroo. Deputy Rust added: 'We get all kinds of animal calls, from bulls to bears to mountain lions. But I've never heard of an alligator.'

Exotic animals were visiting school as part of the Zoo to You project . Spike the alligator had been let out of van after needing a bathroom break .

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By . Liz Hull and Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 28 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:53 EST, 28 November 2013 . Claim: Merseyside PCSO Pauline Harrison is suing a property firm after injuring herself while on duty . A police community support officer is seeking £5,000 compensation from a property firm after she injured her knee while investigating a burglary. Pauline Harrison, 53, was responding to a 999 call of a break-in at a derelict school when she fell over a 3ft high wooden fence. The PCSO, who serves with Merseyside Police, said she suffered ‘soft tissue damage’ to her right knee as she tried to leave the property in Birkdale, near Southport. The case will reignite controversy over the millions of pounds in compensation claims – fuelled by no-win, no-fee lawyers – made by police who are injured on duty every year. Last night Miss Harrison’s decision to sue was condemned by her own force. The incident happened in 2009 when she was called to reports of youths on the roof of four-storey Sunshine House, a former school for the blind, owned by property development firm Lightflask Ltd. Previously, yobs had lit fires in the grounds and the firm had secured the perimeter with a 6ft iron fence, except for a small wooden 3ft fence closing off a gateway at the front  of the site. In court papers, Miss Harrison alleges Lightflask Ltd was negligent because it had allowed the wooden fence to become a ‘danger and a trap to persons lawfully entering and exiting the premises’. The former dog trainer also claims the company had failed to provide or make the wooden fencing safe, failed to properly warn the PCSO about the fencing, or erect warning signs. Miss Harrison also says there was no adequate system of inspection or maintenance of the site. Derelict: Ms Harrison was attending reports of a burglary at this former school in Birkdale when she tripped . She is claiming up to £5,000 in damages, which also includes £25 travelling expenses, £14 prescription charges and £102 physiotherapy costs. Last night a spokesman for Lightflask Ltd said it was ‘concerning’ that the public could be sued by police officers and PCSOs going about their duties. Police officers have sought huge sums for controversial claims. Among them are: . WPC Fiona Clark sued for £400,000. She hurt her back lifting boxes of stationery. WPC Kelly Jones demanded £50,000 from the owner of a petrol station where she tripped on the kerb during a call-out. Detective . Inspector Brian Baker won a £7,000 payout after he claimed exposure to . cannabis fumes made him snore and caused problems in his marriage. WPC Louise McGarva sued for £500,000 after claiming she developed a fear of sirens following a riot-training exercise. PC John Franklin won £108,000. He was injured by handcuffs on a safety course. PC George Smillie was awarded an estimated £10,000 after he hurt his knee playing football on a training course. WPC Lesley O’Shea sued for £200,000 after slipping on a banana skin. ‘I don’t think people expect to be sued by somebody working in the police who claims injury in the course of their duties,’ the spokesman said. ‘Surely the nature of the job carries inherent risks. ‘In this case the claimant is a community support officer. There must be a worry that these support officers may not be trained to the level of a regular officer.’ Chief Superintendent Nikki Holland, of Merseyside Police, said Miss Harrison’s decision to make a claim ‘is not a course of action that the force would encourage or support. However, this is a private matter for the individual and the force has no direct influence over private civil claims’. Miss Harrison was unavailable for comment. Her solicitor, Jared Bailey, said it would not be appropriate to comment. The case is due to before Liverpool County Court next month. Earlier this year Home Secretary Theresa May criticised ‘frivolous’ claims being made by officers which she said were ‘not the sort of attitude’ they should exhibit. Her comments came after WPC Kelly Jones, 33, threatened to sue a garage owner in Thetford, Norfolk, after she tripped over a kerb while investigating a burglary. She later dropped her claim.

Pauline Harrison, 53, tripped over a fence outside abandoned building . Merseyside PCSO is suing building's owner claiming they are liable . She is seeking thousands of pounds including payments for physiotherapy .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:35 AM on 20th December 2011 . A woman is facing a race against time to lose four stone - in order to become pregnant before her husband dies. Ayla Hughes, 24 hopes to have a child with her husband Ben, 28, who suffers from chronic organ failure. Doctors have told former shop worker Mr Hughes he only has five months to live. Final wish: Terminally ill Ben Hughes, hopes his wife Ayla will have started IVF treatment before he dies . However, the couple have a million-to-one chance . of conceiving naturally, as Ayla has polycystic ovaries and Ben’s sperm . count has been reduced by years of daily medication and operations. Childcare assistant Ayla, from Shrewsbury, has lost a stone-and-a-half so far through joining a slimming club and exercising. She said: 'The news was devastating, but we’re concentrating on fulfilling the dreams we have together. 'I’ve already lost more than a stone through Slimming World, but I still have three and a half stone to go. 'I want to get the weight lost by March next year, which will hopefully give Ben time to realise that the procedures have worked and he’s on his way to becoming a dad.' Ben has been through a series of operations throughout his life to correct Aortic Stenosis, a condition which has left his heart unable to pump blood properly. He married Ayla in February 2007 - and underwent a double transplant to replace his faulty heart and lungs a month later. But last month he was given the tragic news that his body is now rejecting the organs - giving him just six months to live. Becoming a father is at the top of Ben's 'bucket list' - a wishlist of experiences he'd like to have before he dies. Ben and Ayla Hughes on their wedding day in February 2007: He underwent a double transplant a month later but his body is now rejecting the new heart and lungs . He said: 'We have been thinking about having a baby for around three years, but with everything else going on, we just haven’t been able to concentrate on it properly. 'Now there is more need to get the IVF underway as soon as possible.Although I may not be around to hold my child, as long as I know the IVF has started and Ayla is alright, it will mean the world to me.' Couples need to meet strict criteria to be considered for IVF and at 19-and-a-half stone Ayla was judged to be too overweight. The national IVF success rate is around 30 per cent - meaning Ayla and Ben face a daunting challenge even if she does manage to slim to 14-and-half stone. She has already lost a stone and a half, taking her weight to 18 stone, but must lose at least three and a half more to qualify for the treatment. 'These past five years have been the best. Ben is the most wonderful person I have ever met and he’s changed my life,' Ayla said. 'If it wasn’t for the transplant, we would not have had this time together. Now I have the most powerful incentive imaginable to lose weight.' Ben has also joined in Ayla’s diet to help give her encouragement. He said: 'I’m doing all the things a normal supportive husband would do. I’m eating what she’s eating, which makes it easier for her. 'Whenever I catch her reaching for sweet treats, I give her a little smack on the hand. 'It’s been helpful to concentrate on achieving this together. It’s been nice to have something to occupy our minds.' Ben drew up his bucket list earlier this year as his condition worsened. He also hopes to swim with sharks, visit the set of Coronation Street and meet hero David Bowie. But he added: 'Having a son or daughter would be a wonderful thing to leave to our families - it would be a part of me which would continue living after I’m gone.' Ben and Ayla are hoping that their plight will help inspire others to sign up for the organ donor register. For more information, visit https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk . To see how Ben is getting on with his bucket list click here .

Mrs Hughes has lost 21lbs since starting a diet. Having a child tops Ben's 'bucket list' of things he'd like to achieve before he dies .

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Former head teacher James Stewart has been arrested over £40,000 of expenses claims . The former head of a failing school has been arrested over £40,000 of expenses claims – including a wine club subscription and Virgin Media package for his home. James Stewart, who made £120,000 a year as the academy's principal, was quizzed by police after a Government watchdog said he received £39,026 of 'irregular' payments. It said the sum included £25,544 spent on 'alcohol, hospitality, shopping, gift cards, home appliances/furnishings'. Of this, £3,593.62 was 'directly attributable' to alcohol, including the wine club subscriptions. Investigators said the 'potentially irregular expenditure' also included £2,934.84 in direct debits to mobile phone companies and to Virgin Media for a home package. Mr Stewart, 69, quit as head of Sawtry Community College in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in the summer after a critical Ofsted report which put the school in special measures. He did not respond last night to a request for comment. Mr Stewart, 69, quit as head of Sawtry Community College (pictured) in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in the summer after a critical Ofsted report which put the school in special measures . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

James Stewart has been arrested over £40,000 of expenses claims . Mr Stewart quit as head of Sawtry Community College in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in the summer after a critical Ofsted report .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- U.S. airstrikes aimed at al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan have been "very effective," with few civilian deaths as a result, CIA Director Leon Panetta said Monday in a rare public acknowledgment of the raids. CIA Director Leon Panetta speaks about the fight against al Qaeda at the Pacific Council on International Policy. Asked about criticism of the missile attacks by counterinsurgency experts, Panetta said he did not want to discuss specifics, "but I can assure you that in terms of that particular area, it is very precise and is very limited in terms of collateral damage." "Very frankly, it's the only game in town in terms of confronting or trying to disrupt the al Qaeda leadership," Panetta told the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles. Pakistan has complained repeatedly about what it says are airstrikes on its territory by U.S.-operated drones. The U.S. military in neighboring Afghanistan does not comment on the attacks, which typically target Islamic militants in the border region, but the United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the capability to launch missiles from remote-controlled aircraft. Panetta's predecessor, Michael Hayden, was asked about the drone attacks on Pakistani territory shortly before he left office in January, but addressed it far less directly than Panetta. "I'm not going to talk about anything operational, and I'm not confirming or denying how any of this happens, we're not getting into that," he said. But he said he believed al Qaeda leaders had come to view Pakistan's tribal regions as "neither safe nor a haven." Two leading former advisers on counterinsurgency warfare, David Kilcullen and Andrew Exum, wrote in The New York Times over the weekend that the strikes have killed about 14 terrorist leaders in the past three years -- but Pakistani sources say the civilian death toll could be as high as 700. While U.S. officials dispute that ratio, Kilcullen and Exum wrote, "Every one of these dead noncombatants represents an alienated family, a new desire for revenge and more recruits for a militant movement that has grown exponentially even as drone strikes have increased." "The persistence of these attacks on Pakistani territory offends people's deepest sensibilities, alienates them from their government and contributes to Pakistan's instability," Kilcullen and Exum said. They compared the tactics to British bombardment of the same region in the 1920s and French airstrikes on Algeria in the 1950s, arguing that the strikes were likely to remind Pakistanis of colonial rule. U.S. forces have been battling al Qaeda and its Taliban allies in Afghanistan since the terrorist network's 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. Both have taken root across the rugged border in Pakistan, where Pakistani troops are waging an air and ground offensive to crush the Taliban in the Swat Valley, northwest of the capital, Islamabad. Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani said Monday that the offensive will go on "until peace is established." CNN's Pam Benson contributed to this report.

CIA Director Leon Panetta makes rare public acknowledgment of raids . U.S. airstrikes "only game in town" to fight al Qaeda in Pakistan, he says . He says strikes are very precise and collateral damage is limited .

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By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 20:29 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:33 EST, 19 November 2013 . Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has warned that, for many people, their standards of living are falling . The Archbishop of York has warned of the growth of a 'new poor' who have jobs and work hard but still live in poverty. Dr John Sentamu, second in the hierarchy of the Church of England, told its General Synod that many people who previously enjoyed comfortable lifestyles were seeing their standard of living fall significantly. Such people - who he called 'the new poor' - feel they are going 'down the social scale' through no fault of their own, he said. 'Unlike the chief executives, many hard-pressed people find that they are on a 'down escalator',' he said. 'That phrase captures more than just a shortage of money - it adds a sense of descending the social scale.' Dr Sentamu added that many such people no longer believed that they could provide a better life for their children than they had enjoyed themselves. 'Formerly, each new generation enjoyed a higher standard of living than the previous one,' he said. 'That was the progress that everybody was taught to expect. It was a source of hope. 'But now the gains are being reversed. Many people believe their children will be worse off financially than they are.' He added that while 'once upon a time, you could not really be living in poverty if you had regular wages', this was 'no longer so'. Now, he said, 'you can be in work and still live in poverty', adding: 'Politicians often refer to hard-working families. They should speak instead of hard-pressed families.' Speaking in his presidential address to the Gerneal Synod - the parliament of the Church of England - Dr Sentamu said the annual salaries of chief executives of Britain's 100 largest companies 'reached an average of £4.3 million last year, or 160 times average wages'. Meanwhile, he said, 27,000 people in Leeds were diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition last year - 'not in Lesotho, not Liberia, not Lusaka, but Leeds.' The NHS defines malnutrition as poor nutrition, and it can include people who eat too much or eat the wrong things as well as those who eat too little. Concern: Justin Welby (right), the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York . Poverty warning: Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, addresses the General Synod . Dr Sentamu said such figures left a 'dark stain on our consciences' - but he added it was a 'hard economic fact' that wage rises were likely to lag behind price rises in future, as a result of global competition for jobs and technological advances. 'This is the new reality. Food banks are not going to go away any time soon,' the Archbishop said. 'Prices are rising more than three times faster than wages. 'This has been going on for 10 years now. And for people slipping into poverty, the reality is much harsher.' Official poverty figures, which draw a poverty line at 60 per cent of average household income, have been showing that rising numbers of people with jobs have been falling into poverty since 2004 - three years before the onset of recession. Last week a study for the York-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation by the left-wing Institute for Public Policy Research said that traditional families with stay-at-home mothers and fathers who work are now more likely than to be poor than any other kind of family. There were more families with stay-at-home mothers in poverty than two-parent families where the household lives on benefits, or benefit dependent single-parent families, it found. The study said nearly one in three - 30 per cent - of the families with children who live below the official poverty line are families where only one parent works. The Archbishop said the need to combat poverty could provide the CofE with a moment similar to the foundation of Methodism 250 years ago, when John Wesley concentrated heavily on the poor and working people. 'The Church of England, I believe, has arrived at another such moment', Dr Sentamu said. 'Confronting poverty is again rising to the top of the agenda.'

Dr John Sentamu said standards of living are falling significantly . He was speaking to the Church of England's General Synod . Sentamu said 'the new poor' feel they are going 'down the social scale'

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He was the accidental hero who stumbled upon an FA Cup and Champions League. At least, that was Roman Abramovich’s take on Roberto Di Matteo – the trophy-prone fool. For when Di Matteo triumphantly mounted the steps of the Allianz Arena, fists clenched, smile as wide as the Champions League trophy itself and screamed to his paymaster ‘I’ve done it’, the Russian returned a despairing look of ‘yes, you have, I’m going to have to make you manager now, aren’t I?’. Roberto Di Matteo lifts the Champions League trophy after Chelsea's triumph in 2012 . The former Chelsea manager is given the bumps by his players after winning the FA Cup in 2012 . How dare the caretaker extend his remit to writing history with Chelsea’s first European Cup. How dare he back his owner into a corner. His temerity was begrudgingly rewarded with a two-year deal. Within five months he was sacked. The accidental hero was now Abramovich’s intentional fall guy. Di Matteo – save for the odd charming performance as a pundit – has not been seen since. Until now. Back in management with Schalke 04, footballing fate has it that he will face his former club next month. Di Matteo forged a special bind with the Chelsea players after a difficult spell under Andre Villas-Boas . Chelsea fans were left angry after Di Matteo was replaced by Rafael Benitez at the end of 2012 . It will be two years and four days since his inevitable Chelsea axe when the Blues travel to Gelsenkirchen in their penultimate Champions League group fixture. For the away fans, it will be a chance to say a belated thank you and goodbye, rather than hello. It was Rafa Benitez who replaced Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge and, throughout the former Liverpool boss’s reign, Chelsea supporters sang the name of their fallen favourite in the 16th minute of matches in recognition of the shirt number he wore during six years as a player. The irony is, without Di Matteo’s contribution during those six years – he was integral to maxing Chelsea ‘sexy’ again – Abramovich may well have invested his roubles elsewhere. The Italian also helped his side to knock Barcelona out of the 2012 Champions League . Di Matteo acted as Villas-Boas' understudy until the manager was sacked in 2012 . VIDEO Di Matteo perfect fit for Schalke - Heldt . There were six trophies – two FA Cups, a Cup Winners’ Cup, a League Cup, a European Super Cup and a Charity Shield – during his time in West London, that silverware rebranding a club which had not won a domestic prize since the FA Cup of 1970. To that end, Di Matteo’s goal after just 42 seconds of the 1997 final against Middlesbrough heralded a new era. And what of that strike? A run from deep climaxed by a 30-yard blast which cannoned into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar – it was a stunning reintroduction to the big stage. Di Matteo heads Chelsea's FA Cup final winning goal against Aston Villa in 2000 . Di Matteo was also part of a successful Chelsea team as a player, winning the FA Cup in 1997 and 2000 . The former Blues midfielder hammers Chelsea into the lead just 42 seconds into the 1997 FA Cup final . Di Matteo celebrates his early strike during the FA Cup final against Middlesbrough . His icon was etched in that one moment, his legend later cemented by two more Wembley goals. The first came in the League Cup victory, again over Middlesbrough, in the following season. Then, in 2000 and the last final beneath the old Twin Towers, Di Matteo scored the winner against Aston Villa. A leg injury would curtail his career at just 31 but he returned to lead out Chelsea ahead of the 2002 FA Cup final with Arsenal, a gesture in ‘gratitude for the midfielder's contribution to the transformation of the club’. Gratitude, however, was in short supply a decade on. Di Matteo is not the vindictive type to view next month’s meeting as an opportunity for payback or revenge. Rather, he will accept the gratitude of the Chelsea fans with dignity. And you wouldn’t be surprised if his players on the pitch did the talking for him. Again. Di Matteo (left), Eddie Newton and Dennis Wise celebrate the 1997 Fa Cup win .

Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed as the new Schalke manager . Di Matteo won the FA Cup and Champions League as Chelsea's caretaker manager in 2012 . The Italian enjoyed a successful career as a Chelsea player, scoring in two FA Cup finals for the club . Roman Abramovich replaced Di Matteo with Rafael Benitez after a poor run of results in 2012 .

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Fantasy author George R.R. Martin, whose 'A Song of Ice and Fire' book series has been turned into the hit HBO program 'Game of Thrones,' has a new book being released this week, which includes what he says are faithful renderings of the landmarks and castles fans know and love. Martin's book is 'The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones,' and offers 300 pages of back story and original artwork by the some of the world's top fantasy illustrators. He agreed to the companion volume in 2006 and expected it would take just a couple of years. Naturally, it took longer. He intended to write some brief text to accompany the drawings, but ended up setting down some 300,000 words, more than enough to make his editor's 'head explode.' 'It was bigger than I anticipated,' he said during a recent telephone interview, acknowledging that 'The World of Ice & Fire' might have delayed still further the next 'Ice and Fire' novel. 'I start these things that I think won't take much time and they grow and grow.' Scroll down for video . Seat of power: George R.R. Martin recently said at a panel the Iron Throne 'towers over the room like a great beast' Scaled down: The Iron Throne used in the HBO series is not nearly as large as what Martin has imagined . Fantasy lands: Martin has said this illustration correctly shows Dragonstone, where the Targaryens once lived . Rocky: Dragonstone is noticeably less elaborate in 'Game of Thrones' Martin said 'The World of Ice & Fire' offers material already in the 'Ice and Fire' series, material he has long worked out in his mind and on paper, but had never released, and material he invented entirely for the book, such as the section dedicated to lands on the other side of the Narrow Sea. (Fans of Tyrion Lannister, be advised: Martin includes little about the character he has called his favorite. He's saving that for future books). Time spent working on 'The World of Ice & Fire' also means time spent on publicity, and on Sunday the resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico came to New York and appeared before hundreds of fans at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y. Dressed all in black - black corduroys, black shirt, and black vest set off by his white hair and beard - he was interviewed on stage by Salon.com critic Laura Miller and responded to written questions from the audience. A video of the interview was posted online. Martin was filmed saying at the panel that he had been inspired by Hadrian's Wall when imagining Castle Black at the Wall, where members of the Night's Watch defend Westeros from what lies beyond - including the White Walkers. At the edge of the world: Martin has said he was inspired by Hadrian's Wall when imagining Castle Black at the Wall, where the Night's Watch guard the edge of Westeros . As seen on TV: Kit Harington plays Jon Snow, one of the members of the Night's Watch on the HBO series . Dramatic: The Red Keep at King's Landing is seen perched on the edge of steep cliffs . Adapted: The Red Keep's design appears much taller and narrower on TV . Not yet! 'A Song of Ice and Fire' author George R.R. Martin, seen in July 2014, has not yet released the next book, 'The Winds of Winter' Speaking about the Iron Throne, Martin also said at the panel 'Nobody ever got it right. There were comic book versions, and there were versions in the card game and the board game, and there were versions on the cover [of books], and there were versions that were done for conventions. The very first.. there was a wooden one that I sat on in 1996.. but none of them were ever really right.' 'I said repeatedly the Iron Throne is huge,' he also said. 'It towers over the room like a great beast. And it's ugly; it's asymmetric. It's put together by blacksmiths not by craftsmen and experts in furniture manufacture. And you have to walk the iron steps, and when a king sits on it he's like 10 feet above everybody else in the hall so he's in this raised position looking down on everyone.' Martin was also filmed saying the Dragonstone, the former fortress of the Targaryens, 'has been a b**** because it's really a unique castle. You know some of this is very easy for me as a writer to describe, but it's not necessarily easy for the artist to draw.' Winter is coming: Large towers are seen on the top of the Stark stronghold Winterfell . The North remembers: Winterfell is a much lower structure on the hit HBO fantasy program . Martin, 66, has completed five of seven planned novels: The most recent, 'A Dance With Dragons,' came out in 2011, the same year the Emmy-winning HBO adaptation 'Game of Thrones' first aired. Martin said Sunday that one challenge is keeping track of so many characters and events spread out over thousands of pages. Like a filmmaker hiring a continuity director, he works with longtime 'Ice and Fire' experts Elio M. Garcia, Jr. and Linda Antonsson, who run the fan site http://www.westeros.org and are credited as co-authors of the new book. 'They displayed, right away, an almost obsessive knowledge of my world. In fact, I had to alter my world because of that obsessive knowledge,' Martin said in his phone interview, noting that they had caught errors in his work. A native of Bayonne, New Jersey, Martin loved comic books and writing as a kid and by high school had won an award for a superhero story. He has been publishing books since the 1970s and began his 'Ice and Fire' series in the 1990s, intending to write a trilogy. During his telephone interview with The Associated Press, Martin said some of his fondest early memories were of reading illustrated versions of 'Treasure Island' and other classics and that he wanted 'The World of Ice & Fire' to have a similar appeal. He admires the Kindle, but prefers reading on paper and thinks the new book is especially suited for its hardcover edition. 'My feeling was "Let's make it a coffee table book and let's fill it with some great fantasy art by some of the top illustrators in the fantasy world,"' he said. 'We're at a time in publishing history where you can have you stories in many different ways. But I'm still an old fart. I love a physical book.'

Fantasy author George R.R. Martin, whose 'A Song of Ice and Fire' book series has been turned into the hit HBO program 'Game of Thrones,' has a new book being published this week . The book is called 'The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones,' and offers 300 pages of back story and original artwork by the some of the world's top fantasy illustrators .

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By . Mia De Graaf . Tragic: Horatio Chapple, 17, was mauled by a 39-stone polar bear as he slept during a trek through Norway . An Eton schoolboy was mauled to death by a polar bear while trekking through Norway after his team leaders used paper clips to secure the safety wire. Horatio Chapple, 17, was on a £2,500 adventure holiday to the remote Svalbard islands when a bear entered their camp, dragged him out of his tent, and killed him. Four others were severely injured before they managed to shoot the bear. Today, it emerged the trip-wire which should have alerted them when the bear approached had been secured by a paper clip. The alert system is designed to set off mines if an animal or intruder crosses the wire. But organisers of the British School Exploring Society trek in August 2011, which hosted 73 children, today admitted one of the wires was faulty and a team leader tried to fix it using the piece of stationery. The revelation comes at the start of an inquest into Horatio's death. A report published to coincide with the first day found the trip wires were inadequate, there should have been a bear watch, and the team should have been trained to use rifles. Sir David Steel, author of the report, blasted the 'inadequate' safety measures advised by Norwegian authorities, ruling that the incident 'was not unforeseeable'. He said teams should not be allowed to trek in the Arctic Circle without proper rifle training. And the team relied on an 'inconsistent' trip-wire system to alert them to the presence of polar bears - but it was inadequate as the warning would be too late. However, Richard Payne, from the BSES, defended the move, claiming it made the wire more effective. He said: 'The whole system is designed to give you an alert for you to wake up and do something about it. It's not a defence, it's not going to kill an intruder, it's going to alert you.' Mr Payne also admitted that the tripwires were not working perfectly and one of the leaders had adapted one using a paper clip to make the trigger-mechanism more sensitive. He continued: 'It was a paper clip and it did improve the system, and I had no reason to doubt that was the case.' Mr Payne said that the alternative system of carrying out bear watches had been put in place at the base camp after a recent sighting of a polar bear in the region, but nothing had been seen for the week that they had been held. Horatio's parents David and Olivia Chapple leave the Coroner following the first day of the inquest into their son's death. His mother said they presumed a trip so expensive would be safe . Danger: A report by Sir David Steel found the trip-wires used to sound alarms when a polar bear approaches did not work. The animal tore apart Horatio's tent, dragged him out and mauled him before chasing others . Horatio's parents Olivia, a GP, and David, a surgeon, appeared in court to say they presumed a trip so . expensive would be safe. Dr Olivia Chappel said she was . 'more anxious' than her husband and son and went through every detail in . the risk assessment to reassure herself about the group's protection. 'The trip was an expensive trip, I believed that they would have proper equipment,' she said. 'I thought Horatio would have a bear flare, I thought they would have things like bear spray. 'I . believed that the camp would be protected by trip wire. I was naive, I . had no idea how a camp site should be set up at that stage. 'I . didn't know there was the possibility that a trip wire may or may not . work. I didn't know they were so fraught with difficulty.' The team had set up camp on the Von Postbreen glacier and were sleeping in five tents when the 39-stone bear struck. Four . others were injured by the rampaging animal before team leader Michael . Reid, 27, managed to shoot the animal in the head with a rifle. Students Patrick Flinders, 16, and Scott Smith, 17, who were sharing a tent with Horatio, were seriously injured in the attack. Shot: After a scramble to find bullets for a rifle, one of the leaders shot the underweight 24-year-old bear . Describing . the incident, Sir David explained how the bear had approached through . the north-western side of the trip-wire system but none of the warning . mines had exploded. It then ripped open the tent on Horatio's side and dragged him out, causing potentially fatal head wounds. The rest of the camp woke up to screaming and shouts of 'bear!'. Horatio . appeared to try and sit up and stand but the bear reared up and slammed . into him, pushing him to the ground. He was not seen to move again, the . report says. There was then a shambolic scramble for guns, but no one in the team could work the rifles. 'In . the meantime,' he writes, '[one of the leaders] had got hold of the . rifle. He operated the bolt to seek to load and cock the rifle but it . failed to fire. He . operated the bolt on three or four more occasions without causing the . rifle to fire. On each occasion a bullet was ejected on to the ground . leaving the rifle empty. 'The bear then turned on [the leader] . and mauled him about the head. He dropped the gun. [The other leader] . had previously emerged from the rear of the leaders' tent. 'He was unable to pick up the gun as the bear was over it. 'He . realised that, having seen the attempts to shoot the bear fail, he . needed the spare bullets but was not immediately conscious of where they . were and shouted for help in finding them.' Unable to load a pen flare, he started throwing stones at the bear - which turned on him and mauled him too. The . bear continued to move between the bodies of Horatio and the two . leaders, while attacking other members of the group as they tried to . flee. Sir David described how some members of the camp had managed to escape to about 20 metres from the scene. He continued: '[The first leader] now managed to find one of the bullets that had been ejected, went back into the front of the tent to retrieve the rifle, loaded the rifle and, as the bear came back close to him, shot it dead.' The trip was an expensive trip, I believed that they would have proper equipment . - Horatio's mother, Dr Olivia Chapple . Sir David said the group then rallied and started to tend to the injured and calls were made for help from the local emergency services, although problems were experienced with the communications equipment, and the rescue team arrived by helicopter in a 'remarkable 35 minutes'. A post mortem on Horatio concluded that his death was caused by 'extensive soft tissue and bone injuries to the face and neck including destruction of the right facial artery'. An investigation found that it was 'a very old bear' in the region of 24 years old with 25 being the usual maximum. It was seriously underweight, about 250kg rather than the typical 400kg and it had 'heavily worn and painful teeth'. Sir David concluded by praising the group members for their bravery. He said: 'All members including not least Horatio demonstrated great courage in the face of the attack which started while the camp was asleep. 'Likewise considerable presence of mind was shown by the uninjured members of the party in the aftermath of the attack in tending to the wounded and calling for help.' The inquest continues.

Horatio Chapple, 17, mauled by polar bear as he slept near Arctic Circle . Eton schoolboy was on expedition through Norway with friends . Inquest opens today and report published blasting 'inadequate' safety . Organiser revealed a team leader fixed faulty trip wire with paper-clip . Parents told inquest they presumed £2,500 trip would be well-secured . The team could not work a rifle and alert system failed, report explains . Four others were seriously injured in attack in August 2011 .

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A hotel in upstate New York's Yelp rating plummets to one star after guests learn that they've promised to charge couples who book weddings $500 for every negative review a guest posts online. The Union Street Guest House in Hudson, NY is known for its historic decor, strict cancellation policy, and its hatred of bad reviews, reports The New York Post. The hotel has 572 reviews online, 554 of them were posted today and most of them are negative. Scroll down for video . No room for reviews: The Union Street Guest House charges couples who book weddings at the venue $500 for every bad review posted online by their guests . Low rating: The hotel's $500 bad review policy cost them 4 stars . Viral Yelp: Hundreds took to Yelp today to give the hotel bad reviews . 'Please know that despite the fact that . wedding couples love Hudson and our inn, your friends and families may . not, ‘says the hotel's website. 'If you have booked the inn for a wedding or other type of event . . . and given us a deposit of any kind . . . there will be a $500 fine that will be deducted from your deposit for every negative review . . . placed on any internet site by anyone in your party.' Their policy goes on to explain how they charge for bad reviews because the wedding guests who are obligated to stay at the hotel may not understand what the hotel is like and therefore their negative reviews shouldn't be taken into consideration. The hotel says that their bathroom and kitchens are designed to look 'vintage' and that their furniture is 'hip' and 'period' other than the beds which are new. 'If your guests are looking for a Marriott type hotel they may not like it here,' says the website under their review policy. For every negative review a wedding guest leaves, the couple will be charged $500. If the review is taken down then the amount is refunded. The negative review policy is only for wedding guests. Need some Yelp?: The hotel will have some reading ahead of them after over 500 Yelp reviewers took the time to rate their experience a the hotel . It'll cost you: If you stayed at the Union Street Guest House for a wedding and wrote a bad Yelp review it'll cost $500 until the review is removed . Friends may hate it: 'Please know that despite the fact that wedding couples love Hudson and our inn, your friends and families may not,' reads their online 'no bad review' policy . Ever since media outlets have been highlighting the hotel's negative review policy, an influx of even more negative reviews flooded Yelp. 'This was the worst hotel I have ever encountered. Rude customer service, unclean, terrible odor. Then they had the audacity to tell me they would charge me $500 from my deposit if I posted a negative review online....have they heard of freedom of speech? You cannot charge someone for stating their opinions in an open forum. Think twice about spending your money at this place,' wrote Yelp user Michael G. The Post reports that the hotel responds to Yelp reviews by responding with things like, 'mean spirited nonsense' and 'she made this all up.' After someone posted a review about bad treatment over a bucket of ice, the hotel wrote back: 'I know you guys wanted to hang out and get drunk for 2 days and that is fine. I was really sorry that you showed up in the summer when it was 105 degrees . . . I was so so so sorry that our ice maker and fridge were not working and not accessible.' The Mail Online tried calling the hotel but no one was available for comment. Nasty review: This Yelp user had a terrible experience at the hotel in upstate New York .

The Union Street Guest House in Hudson, NY doesn't allow negative Yelp reviews for wedding guests . Of the 572 Yelp reviews online, 554 of them were posted on Monday after media outlets drew attention to the hotel's policy . 'Please know that despite the fact that . wedding couples love Hudson and our inn, your friends and families may . not, ‘says the website . Since guests wedding guests don't choose where they get to stay, the hotel doesn't think they should be able to give a poor review . Couples are charged $500 for every negative review and then refunded once the review is removed .

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Atlanta (CNN) -- A federal government advisory committee voted Tuesday to recommend that males ages 11 to 21 be vaccinated against the human papilloma virus, which is blamed for thousands of cases of cancer among women and men. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said the vaccine series can be started as early as age 9. Twelve members of the committee voted in favor of a recommendation that 11- and 12-year-old boys be vaccinated; one member abstained. In a separate vote involving males age 13 to 21, eight voted in favor; five against, and one abstained. The same recommendation said men ages 22 through 26 may be vaccinated. Much of the debate focused on whether it would be cost-effective to vaccinate boys against HPV. The vaccine is administered over a six-month period in three doses, each of which costs about $120. Dr. S. Michael March, clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California and a member of the group that devised the recommendations, said the cost to vaccinate 11- and 12-year-old boys would be $38 million. "We have the money, we just have to set the priorities," he said. "If we don't, I don't know who will." HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. At least half of sexually active people will get it at some point in their lives. Why vaccinate middle schoolers? Experts say that it's important to immunize people before they become sexually active. According to the Guttmacher Institute, which studies sexual health, 13% of 15-year-olds have had vaginal sex. By 19, that figure has risen to 70%. The vaccine is less effective after a person is sexually active. Study: Males should get HPV vaccine too . The HPV votes took place as part of the advisory committee's meeting in Atlanta. The vaccine is 89% effective against genital warts in males and 75% effective against anal cancer in males, according to CDC. The HPV vaccine is already recommended for females between the ages of 9 and 26 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer. The CDC recommends girls also get the vaccine at age 11 or 12. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first HPV vaccine, Gardasil, in 2006. A second vaccine, Cervarix, was approved in 2009. Gardasil protects against most genital warts and anal, vaginal and vulvar cancers, all of which are associated with HPV, according to the disease agency. Although the vaccine has been approved for males since 2009, it hasn't been as heavily promoted for them. Increase in oral cancers linked to HPV . One reason for the push now is that girls aren't getting vaccinated in the numbers doctors had expected. "If the boys are also immunized, it reduces the transmission back and forth," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University, who attended the CDC meeting as an adviser but not a voting member. In addition, the committee voted to recommend that men who have sex with men up to age 26 be vaccinated against HPV because that would protect them from cancers of the penis and rectum. There also is growing evidence that HPV is responsible for a recent increase in head and neck cancer. A study published this month found approximately 70% of all oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV. Oropharyngeal cancers are those that form in the middle of the throat behind the mouth, an area that includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate, the side and back walls of the throat and the tonsils. This year, the American Academy of Pediatrics added the HPV vaccine to its list of recommended vaccines for boys. A new study suggests that HPV may also be linked to cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston studied 2,450 women ages 20 to 59 who had participated in a national survey from 2003 to 2006 and found that 1,141 women tested positive for HPV. Of them, 573 had cancer-associated HPV types. Those whose who tested positive for HPV were 2.3 times more likely to have said they suffered a stroke or heart attack, the authors found. That odds ratio went up to 2.86 when women with cancer-associated HPV types were compared with women who had no such infections, according to the study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "Nearly 20% of individuals with CVD (cardiovascular disease) do not show any risk factors, indicating that other 'nontraditional' causes may be involved in the development of the disease; HPV appears to be one such factor among women," Dr. Ken Fujise, the lead author of the study and director of the division of cardiology at the University of Texas said in a news release. "This has important clinical implications. First, the HPV vaccine may also help prevent heart disease. Second, physicians should monitor patients with cancer-associated HPV to prevent heart attack and stroke, as well as HPV patients already diagnosed with CVD to avoid future cardiovascular events." But an accompanying editorial, by Dr. Joseph B. Muhlestein, a cardiologist at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, pointed out weaknesses in the study that make it difficult to point to a causal effect. He noted the small number of infected patients, their relative youth, the fact that it depended on their recall of their history and the fact that no adjustment was made for their socioeconomic status. He called for further work to be done. The results "may just apply to a certain subset of people with genetic early atherosclerosis," said Dr. Joseph Ricotta, director of clinical research at the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at Emory University in Atlanta. "Not every person who has HPV is going to get cancer, it may be that only those kinds that have a link to cancer will have a link to cardiovascular disease," said Ricotta, who also called for further studies before reaching "hard and fast" conclusions. The HPV vaccine became a political hot potato when Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann criticized fellow Republican contender and Texas Gov. Rick Perry's support of the vaccine for girls. In 2007, he signed an executive order that required Texas schoolgirls to receive vaccinations against HPV. The order ended up not being implemented. The CDC notes that the FDA has licensed the vaccines as safe and effective. "Both vaccines were tested in thousands of people around the world. These studies showed no serious safety concerns. Common, mild adverse events reported during these studies include pain where the shot was given, fever, dizziness, and nausea," according to the CDC website. CNN's Aaron Cooper, Trisha Henry, William Hudson and Saundra Young contributed to this report.

CDC: Tests on thousands of people show "no serious safety concerns" The advisory committee votes to recommend males ages 11 to 21 be vaccinated . HPV is the number one sexually transmitted disease in the nation . The HPV vaccine has been approved for males since 2009 .

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By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 09:26 EST, 27 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 27 September 2013 . Texting a lot and sleep deprivation are directly linked in young adults, according to new research. Researchers suspect the reasons behind the link could include feeling . pressured to respond . immediately to texts, no matter what time of day or night, and sleeping . with the phone nearby, thus being awakened by the alerts from . incoming texts. The new study by Washington and Lee University psychology professor Karla Murdock found that frequent text messaging was also associated with . greater psychological vulnerability to interpersonal stress. The study examined links among interpersonal stress, text-messaging behavior, and health . In an article in the latest edition of . Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Murdock reported that texting was a . direct predictor of sleep problems among first year University . students. The study examined links among interpersonal stress, . text-messaging behavior, and three indicators of college students' health: burnout, sleep problems and emotional well-being, reports Science Daily. To assess students' sleep quality, . Murdock used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index with minor modifications . to fit the college sample. The widely-used instrument measures multiple aspects of sleep quality such as sleep duration, the . amount of time it takes to fall asleep, the amount of time actually . spent sleeping while in bed, nighttime disturbances, and daytime . sleepiness. 'These correlational . findings provide an initial indication that heavy text messaging could . be problematic during times of stress,' writes Murdock. 'Although speculative, it could be . argued that text messaging is a uniquely unsuitable mode of . communication for coping with interpersonal stress in close . relationships.' She suggests that the abbreviated language that is common in . texting lacks the ability to provide the kind of . nuance that is important in discussing sensitive issues. In addition, . texting fails to offer critical non-verbal cues that would be part of a . face-to-face conversation. Researchers say texting is an unsuitable mode of communication for coping with stress in close relationships . 'Text . messaging may carry a high risk of producing or maintaining . misunderstandings and/or unproductive interactions during periods of . stress,' she writes. 'When interpersonal stress involves conflict, the . conditions required for productive communication may be particularly . difficult to achieve through texting.' Researchers found the impact of texting . on psychological wellbeing depended on the level of interpersonal stress . partiicpants were already facing. But more texting was associated with . poorer sleep regardless of their previous stress levels. The students in the study, all in their first year, answered questions that measured academic and social burnout, emotional well-being and sleep problems. Murdock also asked them to estimate how many text messages they send and receive on an average day. The study's findings on sleep were especially significant given the well-documented compromises in sleep that students experience throughout college, but especially in the first year. Several recent studies have shown that 70 percent of college students receive less than the eight recommended hours of sleep. A 2007 survey by the American College Health Association concluded that 40 percent of students feel rested only two days a week. The key finding was that a higher number of daily texts was associated with more sleep problems. Murdock notes that this finding reinforces previous evidence pointing to a direct association between cell-phone use and poor sleep in adolescents and emerging adults.

University students who texted a lot suffered more sleep deprivation . Causes include pressure to respond and sleeping with phone nearby . Texting a lot also negatively impacts stress and emotional wellbeing . Washington and Lee study is in Psychology of Popular Media Culture .

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Los Angeles (CNN) -- "Breaking Bad" addicts who may suffer withdrawal when the AMC drama ends will get a comedic fix with a spinoff featuring criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. The network announced a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Television for a new series with the working title "Better Call Saul." "Plans call for Saul to be a one-hour prequel that will focus on the evolution of the popular Saul Goodman character before he ever became Walter White's lawyer," AMC and Sony said in a joint news release Wednesday. Bob Odenkirk plays the flashy attorney Saul Goodman, who changed his professional name from Saul McGill so clients would think he was Jewish. The title "criminal lawyer" has extra meaning for Goodman, who often used extra-legal means to help his clients, including "Breaking Bad" lead character Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who evolved into a meth manufacturer. "Hi, I'm Saul Goodman," he says in one of his TV commercials. "Did you know you have rights? The Constitution says you do and so do I. I believe that until proven guilty, every man, woman and child in this country is innocent and that's why I fight for you, Albuquerque." The announcement did not reveal casting or timing for the series. "Breaking Bad" is in its fifth and final season.

"Better Call Saul" is working title for "Breaking Bad" spinoff . AMC plans one-hour prequel focusing on the evolution of lawyer Saul Goodman . Criminal lawyer Saul Goodman uses extra-legal means to help his client .

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(CNN) -- SpaceX's Dragon spaceship splashed down Saturday in the Pacific Ocean, returning from a four-week resupply mission to the International Space Station and bringing back a valuable payload of potentially groundbreaking experiments. Dragon, an unmanned spacecraft, successfully came down about 300 miles west of Baja California just after 3:30 p.m. EST, carrying a return load weighing 3,276 pounds, NASA said in a press release. Dragon was expected to be hauled to a port near Los Angeles where some of the cargo would be removed almost immediately, the space agency said, while the rest of the research aboard the rocket will return to SpaceX's facility at McGregor, Texas, for further processing. SpaceX is a private company that has contracted with NASA to fly missions to the ISS since NASA retired its shuttle fleet in 2011. "This mission enabled research critical to achieving NASA's goal of long-duration human spaceflight in deep space," said Sam Scimemi, director of the International Space Station division at NASA Headquarters. One of the experiments scientists are hoping yields information to help further deep space exploration involves mice. It's called the Rodent Research-1. Part of that experiment has returned aboard the Dragon. The study focuses on "ongoing research on how microgravity affects animals, providing information relevant to human spaceflight, discoveries in basic biology and knowledge that may directly affect human health on Earth, NASA said. The Dragon also delivered a 3-D printer to the ISS during its mission, to test the ability to produce parts cheaply and on demand, and a device called the ISS-RapidScat that will measure the winds on the Earth's oceans for climate and weather research. "The delivery of the ISS RapidScatterometer advances our understanding of Earth science, and the 3-D printer will enable a critical technology demonstration," Scimemi said. Also critical to extended space travel is a dependable food supply. A study on arugula plant growth returned aboard the Dragon. The research hopes to determine the impact of various nutrients and microgravity on seedlings from the leafy vegetable that are grown in space. Scientists hope the experiment will help them learn the best ways to grow plants in space with the highest nutritional content. The Dragon delivered a total of 255 science experiments to the ISS during its fourth of 12 planned SpaceX resupply missions to the space station through 2016. The next SpaceX flight is set to lift off sometime after December 1. It will also deliver crew supplies and cargo to the International Space Station, including CATS, the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System. CATS is a laser instrument that will measure clouds and particles in the atmosphere, including pollution, dust and smoke. NASA recently announced it was awarding $6.8 billion contracts to SpaceX and Boeing to shuttle cargo and astronauts to and from the ISS. Since NASA's space shuttle program was retired in 2011, astronauts have been hitching rides on the Soyuz spacecraft, at a cost of $70 million per seat. Both Boeing and SpaceX's crafts will go through a certification process first. The target date to begin manned missions is 2017. CNN's Natalie Snedden contributed to this report.

SpaceX's Dragon successfully returns from fourth ISS resupply mission . NASA: Mission carried critical research for human space exploration . Dragon delivered 3-D printer and device to measure Earth's ocean winds . Next mission could come before year's end .

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Did Vice President Joe Biden call a former congressman his 'butt buddy' during a speech in Iowa this afternoon? Biden, known for making inappropriate slips of the tongue, appeared on Thursday to refer to a former Iowa lawmaker Neal Smith his 'butt buddy' while making remarks at Drake University. Butt buddy is a term that can mean two close friends who are considered inseparable. But it also has homosexual connotations. Oh, Joe: Vice President Joe Biden, pictured here on Wednesday at a White House event, appeared on Thursday to refer to a former Iowa congressman as his 'butt budy' In video posted to YouTube of the event, the gaffe-prone VP can be heard asking if his 'old butt buddy' Smith was in the crowd. 'Neal, I miss you man,' he added emphatically. 'I miss you.' A fellow Democrat, Smith served in the House while Biden was in the Senate. Smith, 94, is the longest serving member of the House of Representatives in Iowa's history, holding his seat from 1959 to 1995. Despite his self-proclaimed interest in seeking the presidency in 2016, Biden has stayed largely stayed away from media opportunities in the last several months after making a string of embarrassing verbal mistakes while on the campaign trail during the midterm elections. At another Iowa event, this one in September, Biden referred to the former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as 'the wisest man in the Orient.' That followed an incident the day before in which Biden, while telling a story about money lenders who take advantage of armed service men and women, called the financiers 'Shylocks.' The term Shylock is often associated with a Shakespearean play about greedy Jewish lender of the same name and is considered an anti-Semetic slur. Biden immediately apologized for comment calling it a 'poor choice of words' The VP was at Drake this morning to push the White House's free tuition plan for community college students.

Biden was presumably referring to former Iowa lawmaker Neal Smith while making the remarks at Drake University . Smith, 94, is the longest serving member of the House of Representatives in Iowa's history, holding his seat from 1959 to 1995 . Butt buddy is a term that can mean two close friends who are considered inseparable - but it also has homosexual connotations .

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Cairo (CNN) -- Outside Egypt's top court in Cairo, protest leader Hussein Abdel Rahman wears a sash around his collared shirt emblazoned with a zucchini. The judiciary, he says, has transformed into what the green vegetable means in colloquial language: corruption, nepotism, favoritism. An editorial cartoon in a Cairo daily sums up Egypt's state of affairs: a scribbled mess of spirals. And the presidential election this weekend, once hailed as Egypt's big step toward democracy, is now satirized in an online mock-up of a video game pitting a bare-chested Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, against the bearded Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. The runoff vote is taking place after the Supreme Constitutional Court declared the parliament invalid and triggered renewed chaos over the country's leadership. The ruling dealt a blow to the Muslim Brotherhood, which dominated parliament, and was victory for supporters of Shafik, the focus of protesters' derision for his ties to the deposed dictator. Anger festered Friday among those who feared that a hard-won revolution was fast unraveling; that little had changed. Rankled revolutionaries felt left out in the cold on a hot June day. The dissolution of parliament gives the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, or SCAF, full legislative and executive power alongside, it appears, a friendly judiciary. "SCAF has been suppressing our protests, suppressing the youth movements on the ground," said Wisam Mohamed. "They have been arresting thousands of us." Ahmed Maher, a founder of the April 6 Youth Movement, which played a prominent role in last year's Tahrir Square uprising, called the ruling "provocative." The contentious verdict, he told the English language news website Ahram Online, will "pave the way for the reanimation of the ousted Mubarak regime." The court dissolved parliament after it had been in session for a little more that four months, saying that constitutional articles that regulated the parliamentary elections were invalid. SCAF, which has been in control of the country since Mubarak's ouster, claimed full legislative power. Many view the move as a "soft coup" staged by Egypt's powerful military, a move intended to diminish the power of the Islamists, who have long been held under the military's microscope. The court ruling was "a complete coup d'etat through which the military council is writing off the most noble stage in the nation's history," said Mohamed el-Beltagy, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party. Sally Toma, a member of the Revolution Youth Coalition, blamed the Islamists for what happened. "The parliament only served the Islamists, who dominated it," she told Ahram. She said the Brotherhood stood against the idea of creating a presidential council mandated with powers of administration until a new constitution could be drawn up. "Legislative powers have been transferred to the SCAF because of the Brotherhoods' selfishness," she said. "They made us lose the revolution, and they lost everything." After the ruling, speculation rose that Morsi, the Brotherhood's candidate, would pull out now that his party's pillar of power had crumbled. But Morsi said he will stay in the running, though the notion of carrying on a vote under the circumstances seemed absurd to some. In the absence of a parliament, the winner of the runoff vote will be put in a position of dealing directly with Egypt's military leaders, a reason for SCAF to postpone the elections, said Mohamed ElBaradei, a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose own presidential bid failed. "Electing president in the absence of constitution and parliament is electing an 'emperor' with more powers than deposed dictator. A travesty," he tweeted Friday. Gamal Mahmoud hoped the election process would proceed peacefully. "And I hope that the voter chooses the person who will achieve the goals of the revolution," he said. The streets of Cairo were calm early Friday, but everyone braced for Tahrir Square to erupt with anger. Already, protesters were amassing in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. The April 6 Movement took to Facebook to motivate protesters. "We are now back at the crossroads and perhaps at the point of zero. Martial law under the disguise of legality," it said. "The Muslim Brotherhood proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they are incapable of understanding history, refuse to learn from their mistakes, and have a level of arrogance that makes them unable to accept advice." The unease was palpable on Twitter as well. "So now we have a country with no constitution, no parliament, no president. And military police in checkpoints and around parliament! Ummm," wrote @TheBigPharaoh. Wael Ghonim, the former Google executive who attained fame after being arrested during the uprising, said: "The only thing that will make us go back to living in fear, oppression and silence is a time machine -- they haven't invented that yet." Many Egyptians, emboldened to speak their minds now more than ever, felt alienated by both the Muslim Brotherhood and their other choice: a remnant of the old regime. "Both choices are unacceptable to me," said Ahmed Maher, a civil servant. "I will be boycotting." University student Ibrahim Gamal Al-Din has become an online sensation with his satirical music videos. In one, he takes aim at the Muslim Brotherhood. "This is our country, but you were all sleeping," he sings. "We took parliament and the constitutional assembly, and we'll take the presidency, too. And if you don't like it, you can go to hell." Humor has long been a form of dissent in Egypt, Ibrahim says. Whenever things get tense, he says, Egyptians try to cope by making fun. But the rumblings Friday were not all funny. It was clear many Egyptians had had enough. Wait until the sun goes down, tweeted an activist. The small gathering at Tahrir will get stronger. But by the time evening came, the air filled with uncertainty, though not much had transpired in the iconic square. CNN's Ben Wedeman reported from Cairo and Moni Basu from Atlanta. CNN's Ivan Watson and Tracy Doueiry contributed to this report.

A court ruling dissolved parliament just ahead of the presidential runoff vote . Many Egyptians see their revolution unraveling . Anger festers in those who perceive a "soft coup" by the military . The streets were calm early Friday, but Cairo braces for mass protests at Tahrir Square .

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By . Ryan Gorman . Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been cut from the team over alleged ties to the notorious Crips street gang members implicated in multiple murders, according to a new report. Jackson, 27, was due more than $10million for the upcoming season, but a report citing unnamed sources says the move was hardly a salary cap dump, and more a preemptive strike for a team looking to avoid the next Aaron Hernandez. The shock announcement came Friday less than an hour after the report linked the wideout to known gang-bangers Theron Shakir and Marques Binnes, as well as explaining how even the name of his record label aligns with Crips culture. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Superstar: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) reaches for a pass as New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) defends during a game last season. Jackson was cut Friday by the team over alleged gang ties, according to a report . The Los Angeles native set career highs with 83 receptions for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns en route to his third Pro Bowl, but the team reportedly became weary of him flashing gang signs both on the field during games and in social media posts. ‘They are concerned about having him around the younger players,’ a team source told the paper. Jackson and his agent have denied any ties to the murderous gang despite the Star-Ledger report. The six year veteran was the subject of rampant trade rumors for the past several weeks, but the Eagles decided to instead give him his outright release, according to a team statement. ‘After careful consideration this off-season, Eagles decide to part ways with DeSean Jackson. The team informed him of his release today.’ The team was aware of Jackson’s association with the two men, implicated in multiple murders since 2010, according to the report. But the details revealed Friday by the paper likely forced its hand – especially with NFL teams weary of ex-Patriot Aaron Hernandez suspected in as many as three murders, as well as drug and arms trafficking and gang activity. Gang-involved friends: Jackson (far right) pictured with Shakir (center right) shortly after his release from prison. Shakir is still wearing his LA County Jail t-shirt in this shot posted to Instagram . Shakir and Binns were charged in the Dec 29, 2010 execution of a 14-year-old boy who flashed a rival gang sign at them while riding his bike through crime-ridden South Los Angeles. The two men were accused by police of shooting the young boy multiple times, but Jackson stood by him and even posted pictures of them together while he was detained, the Star-Ledger noted. Shakir is signed to Jackson-owned Jaccpot Records under the name ‘T-Ron.’ Jackson was not ever named a suspect in the killing, but was questioned by police. An LAPD spokesperson told the paper the player was ‘cooperative at the time,’ and in no way even suspected of having anything to do with the killing. Charges against Shakir were eventually dropped after he sat in prison for one year awaiting trial. Jackson, Shakir and two other men were seen in a photo posted to Instagram soon after his release. Shakir still had on his LA County Jail shirt while Jackson’s arm was around him. Shakir was still wearing a prison-issued t-shirt. Binns was convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, records showed. 'Free Trezzy': jackson (center) posted this picture to Instagram with a caption calling for Shakir's release while he sat in jail awaiting trial on charges he gunned down a 14-year-old boy . Those posts and the police questioning didn’t deter the Eagles from signing the star player to a five-year, $48.5million contract extension. About a year after this incident, another troubling gang-affiliated murder occurred in a building owned or leased by a Jackson relative, police told the Star-Ledger. Documents including a gun permit and a car title were found in the building where the killing occurred, but Jackson was not tied to the crime. The Jaccpot record label, at which Shakir is a signed artist, is said to be spelled in Crips-style – spelling it as Jackpot would be against gang rules since ‘ck’ in any use stands for Crip Killer, an expert told the paper. Jackson has publicly defended the name of the label by saying the ‘jackpot.com’ domain was previously taken. 'Rolling 60's': Jackson has been photographed many times flashing the contorted C signal used by members of a local Crips gang from the Crenshaw neighborhood he grew up in - he even flashed the supposed gang sign at Washington Redskins player DeAngelo Hall on national television last season . Snoop Dogg, a hip hop artist long-known to make references to the Crips in his music, released a song on Jaccpot with Jackson in a music video flashing hand signals similar to the gang signs flashed by the Rolling 60’s neighborhood Crips, a gang expert told Larry Brown Sports. Jackson also flashed the same ‘contorted c’ hand signal at the Washington Redskins’ DeAngelo Hall after making a big catch during a game early last season – on national television. ‘You don't want to see anybody throwing up gang signs like he did in the Redskins game last year,’ an LAPD gang expert told the Star-Ledger. ‘Those were neighborhood Crip gang signs and he flashed them during a game,’ the expert continued. ‘He may not be affiliated with the gang, but they don't [ordinarily] take kindly to those not in the gang throwing up those gang signs.’ The boisterous receiver then wrote ‘10mode 1-0 to start .. Keep Rollin,’ in an Instagram post after the game. ‘DeSean Jackson is not a gang member,’ EAG Management CEO and founder Denise White, Jackson’s agent, told the paper. ‘He’s far, far from it.’ Jackson was not made available for comment, but did offer the following statement posted to Facebook by ESPN reporter Adam Shefter. ‘I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang,’ said the embattled footballer. ‘I am not a gang member and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible.’ Players have had mostly negative reaction to both the report and the release. ‘Something isn't right with this DeSean/Eagles situation. Doubt it had anything to do with gang stuff,’ tweeted New York Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger. ‘It's hard to believe some people are trying to draw a connection between [Jackson] and Aaron Hernandez,’ former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook tweeted. Jackson’s former coach at Crenshaw High School also defended him, saying there was never any inclination of gang activity and even chalked his rowdy behaviour up to wanting to play up a tough image for the music label. Jackson has never been convicted of any crime outside of a guilty plea in April 2010 to a charge of disturbing the peace.

The Pro Bowl wideout has been accused of either belonging to or socializes with members of the violent gang . He has been photographed with or linked to members implicated in multiple murders since 2010 . Jackson has flashed a hand signal on national television during a game similar to the gang sign used by the Crips . The star player was due more than $10million in salary for the upcoming season .

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By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 12:05 EST, 10 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 10 December 2013 . A Los Angeles man who is alleged to have made prank calls to prominent professional sports coaches, offering them jobs, has been arrested. Kenneth Tarr, 32, was arrested yesterday at his home in Hollywood and booked on suspicion of felony eavesdropping. The charge involves recording phone conversations without the consent of the people on the calls, police spokeswoman Sally Madera said. Kenneth Tarr, 32, from Hollywood, who is alleged to have made prank calls about job vacancies for prominent professional coaches, has been arrested . Tarr was being held on $20,000 bail, LA County jail records showed. Madera would give no further details or identify the victims, saying only that Tarr pretended to be somebody else on the calls. But LAPD Lt Mark Reina told NBC news, which first reported the arrest, that the two-month investigation 'includes coaches from across professional sports'. San Bernardino County sheriff's detectives and NFL investigators were assisting in the continuing investigation and more victims were being sought based on a search warrant that had been served, Reina said. A person impersonating a school representative contacted Tony Dungy (pictured), the former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis coach . Police did not know if Tarr had retained an attorney. A phone message left at a number listed in his name was not immediately returned. In October, University of Southern California athletic director Pat Haden said two people pretending to be school representatives contacted two coaches and tried to discuss the Trojans' football coaching vacancy. Haden said one of the pranksters repeatedly tried to speak to an unnamed member of the Denver Broncos' coaching staff about the USC opening. A person impersonating a school representative contacted Tony Dungy, the former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis coach. Afterwards, Dungy talked about his apparent contact with USC on a national radio show, saying he turned down the representative. Steve Sarkisian was later hired as coach. Dungy later tweeted that he had been misled by 'someone acting on their own' and apologised to Haden for the mix-up. Police would not comment on whether the USC calls were part of the investigation. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Kenneth Tarr, 37, arrested at his home in Hollywood; booked on suspicion of felony eavesdropping . USC athletic director Pat Haden said two people pretending to be . school representatives contacted coaches and tried to discuss Trojans' football coaching vacancy . A person impersonating a school rep contacted Tony Dungy, the former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis coach .

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By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 12:03 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:07 EST, 14 January 2014 . A contrite Chris Christie today used his State of the State address in Trenton to promise to co-operate with investigators who want to know why his aides plotted to exact revenge on a Democratic mayor by snarling traffic in his town. 'The last week has certainly tested this Administration,' he admitted to a joint session of New Jersey's General Assembly and Senate. 'Mistakes were clearly made. And as a result, we let down the people we are entrusted to serve.' 'I know our citizens deserve better. Much better,' he said. 'I am the governor and I am ultimately responsible for all that happens on my watch – both good and bad. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Head of state: Christie said today that 'I am the governor and I am ultimately responsible for all that happens on my watch - both good and bad' The law breathing down his neck: the Bridgegate scandal is lapping at the Governor's door with possible criminal prosecutions ahead . Moving on... Christie devoted just a minute of the 45-minute speech, at the Statehouse in Trenton, to the scandal before going on to crow about his achievements in New Jersey . 'Without a doubt we will cooperate with all appropriate inquiries to ensure this breach of trust does not happen again. 'But I also want to assure the people of New Jersey today that what has occurred does not define us or our state. ... I am the leader of this state and its people and I stand here today proud to be both. And always determined to do better.' Still, Christie only spent a minute addressing what has been his latest claim to infamy. The text comprised less than a quarter-page of the seven-page speech. The balance of his presentation touted his successes – including a falling unemployment rate, pension reform and his refusal to raise taxes. But Christie's pats on his own back only go so far with observers. Democratic lobbyists milling around the New Jersey state capitol building were predicting a tough day or, as one put it, 'a bridge to nowhere' for Christie. Chrstie then moved on to focus on his successes as a governor. But the lobbyist said 'the whole day will be about [the bridge] anyway.' The sudden closure of three bridge on-ramp lanes backed up traffic throughout the New Jersey town of Fort Lee for four days in September, trapping children in school buses and angering commuters whose trip into New York City was lengthened by an hour or more. 'We let you down': Christie again said he was sorry for denting public trust but said 'what has occurred will not define us' Former Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly (L) and former Campaign Manager Bill Stepien (R, looking at Christie) were . shown the door on Wednesday and will likely see subpoenas this week. Democrats in Trenton believe a third aide may well soon be dragged into . the crisis . Christie, the famously in-your-face Republican chief executive has already cleaned house, firing a deputy chief of staff and dismissing a long-time political aide who ran his 2013 re-election campaign. But a second Democratic staffer walking the Trenton capitol's halls told MailOnline that the scandal will reach even higher in the Christie administration, and that Kevin O'Dowd, the governor's chief of staff while the bridge scheme was in place, could find himself behind the eight-ball next. 'There's just no way his chief of staff didn't know this was going on,' the political veteran said. 'Christie runs his office like he ran his U.S. Attorney's office. And it's always "Do as I say, not as I do."' 'Christie has his entire senior staff in his office for a meeting once a week,' he explained. 'He gathers his staff, he gives marching orders, and when the meeting's over every in the room knows everything that's going on.' 'You're telling me this never came up? No way.' Even . if O'Dowd was unaware, sources tell MailOnline, he faces a rocky road . ahead since Christie has nominated him to serve as the Garden State's . next attorney general. A . state assembly Senate Democratic aide told MailOnline Tuesday morning . that his confirmation hearing is being delayed because legislators on a . hastily assembled super committee organized to address the bridge . scandal don't know if they will issue a subpoena. If . O'Dowd were attorney general when a subpoena went out, he would be . responsible for enforcing it against himself, and for prosecuting . himself if he refused. The result could create a constitutional crisis . in the state. 'It's open season,' an aide in the capitol confided. David Wildstein refused to testify before Assemblyman John Wisniewski's transportation committee on Jan. 9, citing his Fifth Amendment rights, but assembly democrats voted to hold him in contempt -- and now Wisniewski has asked a prosecutor to charge him with a crime . John . Wisniewski, the liberal state assemblyman leading the charge against . New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the wake of his George Washington . Bridge traffic scandal, announced Monday that he has formed a new . special investigative committee to issue subpoenas and press for more . answers. A Rasmussen poll of . New Jerseyans released Monday found that 54 per cent believe it's . 'likely' that Christie knew about the plot to close the bridge lanes . when it happened. Only 17 per cent said it was 'not at all likely.' In . the meantime, acting Attorney General John Hoffman remains in place, . perhaps permanently. Regina Egea, a Christie aide responsible for . overseeing the state 'authorities unit,' recently moved up to the chief . of staff role, she has been promised. Among . the government agencies Egea's long-time department manages is the Port . Authority, which saw two of its officials resign in December after they . were implicated in the bridge matter. Egea . was also the first Christie staffer to receive an email about the chaos . the September lane closures created, and was warned that the result . could be dangerous to the public. Bridget Kelly and David Wildstein kicked off the traffic shenanigans with a gleeful internal email on August 13, subpoenaed documents show . Subpoenaed records released by state assembly Democrats on Friday show that Bill Baroni, the Port Authority's then-deputy director and a Christie appointee, forwarded a message to Egea just hours after three lanes on the bridge were closed off to local traffic, saying that the move created 'dangers to the public interest.' A contrite Christie apologized for the scandal Thursday in a marathon press conference, but maintained that he had no knowledge of the scheme that had already brought the December resignations of Baroni and David Wildstein, the Port Authority official who supervised what he would later call a 'traffic study.' The governor claimed during Thursday's press event that he had no relationship with Wildstein and could not recall having conversations with him. 'I have had no contact with David Wildstein in a long time, a long time, well before the election,' Christie said. 'You know, I could probably count on one hand the number of conversations I’ve had with David since he worked at the Port Authority. I did not interact with David.' On Tuesday The Wall Street Journal published photographs of the two chatting during the Sept. 11 memorial ceremonies – on the third day of the bridge lane closures. It's not known what they discussed. The governor's presumed aspirations to be the next President of the United States are in jeopardy as the scandal has energized New Jersey Democrats who are determined to torpedo their governor. 'It's open season,' an aide in the capitol confided. A Rasmussen poll of New Jerseyans released Monday found that 54 per cent believe it's 'likely' that Christie knew about the plot to close the bridge lanes when it happened. Only 17 per cent said it was 'not at all likely.'

Beleaguered New Jersey Governor addresses scandal engulfing his administration and threatening his run at the White House in 2016 . Said: 'We let down the people we are entrusted to serve' Democrats in Trenton claim Kevin O'Dowd, Christie's former chief of staff, is next in the firing line . One source claimed: 'Christie runs his office like he ran his U.S. Attorney's office. And it's always "Do as I say, not as I do"' New 'super investigative committee' will soon subpoena Bridget Kelly and Bill Stepien, two Christie confidantes whom he dismissed on Thursday . Liberal assembly Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski called the 'Bridgegate' episode 'a blatant abuse of power' and hinted that more heads would roll . David Wildstein, a Port Authority official who resigned over the flap in December, refused to testify about it on Jan. 9, drawing a contempt citation .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:53 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:36 EST, 3 April 2013 . If you know someone who’s recently undergone a transformation – lost weight, toned up, suddenly seem incredibly smiley all the time – perhaps they’ve become a client of Bodyism. It has become such a phenomenon that Londoners in-the-know refer to that 'Bodyism glow'. For Bodyism has become the gym in London. Founded by James Duigan seven years ago, it recently moved to new premises at the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, and is patronised by the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugh Grant and countless other supermodels and Hollywood A-listers. The rumour mill is abuzz that an LA outpost will open later in 2013. Duigan’s accompanying Clean and Lean diet and exercise books (Clean & Lean, Flat Tummy Fast, Clean & Lean Cookbook and Warrior) have become bestsellers, and the gym’s Body Brilliance shakes - which stars like Rosie regularly tweet about - went global in January. Fitness guru: James Duigan set up Bodyism seven years ago and has fast become the go-to guy in the capital thanks to his innovative approach . Bodyism is far more than just a place to come to work out and tone up; it’s a mecca for anyone with body issue demons to exorcise. The level of post-session support is such that, if you’re having trouble making the right food choices, you can even text Bodyism staff for guidance. The positive attitude is infectious and the overall effect is cathartic, as any devotee will tell you. 'It's not like you come in to do a healing session, but it is just a very healing place,' says James Duigan. 'It’s not so much what we do, it’s why we do it – and the reason we do it is to change people’s lives.' A-list fans: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, left, and Elle Macpherson have worked out at the Knightsbridge gym . Bestseller: James also imparts health and fitness advice in his book 'Clean and Lean Diet' At Bodyism, the crack team of trainers . rotates, so that your sessions are always interesting and challenging, . you reap the benefit of different experts’ specialities, and you won’t . be knocked off your fitness course if one of them is away. Your attitude to your own health and fitness is key to your level of success, says Duigan. 'It's not about 'What's more important, food or exercise?' It's the attitude. You can't really have one without the other,' he explains. In short: it's a holistic approach. 'I want to change your mind-set as well as your shape,' continues Duigan. 'I believe that if we start changing the conversations people have with themselves, then we can really take the shame and guilt away from people’s relationship with food.' So your trainer might talk to you about your emotional food triggers, for example. 'But it’s not like in the middle of a session we say ‘Ok, we’re going to talk about the mentality now. That’s part and parcel of the session.' If you feel like some super intensive treatment, you could always move in to the hotel, have your daily training session in the gym and the indoor pool, and eat only the Duigan Clean and Lean menu – even couples are doing it together. Get that Bodyism glow: The gym is based at the Bulgari Hotel in London's Knightsbridge . 'I truly believe that Bodyism was born when we moved to the Bulgari,' says Duigan. 'Because it gave us the facilities we need, this amazing, beautiful space and infrastructure to take us to the next level.' And how Duigan feels about the Bulgari is pretty much how clients feel about Bodyism. A next level never seemed so easy – and pleasurable – to achieve. Bodyism, The Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge SW7, 020 7151 1010, bodyism.com . A version of this article first appeared in The London Magazine. For more health and beauty features visit thelondonmagazine.co.uk .

Bodyism is the brainchild of Australian James Duigan . Launched London gym seven years ago . Fast became go-to for stars like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Hugh Grant . Moved to Bulgari hotel in late 2012 . U.S. branch will make Bodyism first high profile gym to migrate to LA . Duigan promotes healthy attitude: love not loathe yourself to get results .

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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 08:25 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:08 EST, 19 December 2012 . The BBC deputy director of news today became the latest casualty of the Jimmy Savile Newsnight scandal after he resigned over the fallout from problems with the flagship investigative programme. Acting director-general Tim Davie said he had accepted Stephen Mitchell's resignation this morning with ‘great sadness’. However it soon became clear that still nobody has been sacked over the affair. It came as former Sky News executive Nick Pollard released his review into the decision to drop a report into Jimmy Savile's sexual abuse, saying it was ‘flawed’ and plunged the BBC into ‘chaos’. Scroll down for video . Leaving: Acting director-general Tim Davie (right) said he had accepted BBC News deputy director Stephen Mitchell's (left) resignation this morning with 'great sadness' Newsnight editor Peter Rippon and his . deputy Liz Gibbons - editor on the night of the disastrous documentary which led to . Lord McAlpine being wrongly named as a paedophile - are being replaced and have not been working on the . programme for a number of weeks due to the fallout. Meanwhile, . Helen Boaden, the corporation's director of news, will return to her . post tomorrow after having stepped aside while the Pollard review was . carried out. Mr Rippon initially stepped aside from Newsnight over the shelved Savile programme. Mr Davie insisted that Mr Mitchell would not be receiving a pay-off, and said the BBC is replacing the senior editorial team for Newsnight with the appointment of a new editor and deputy editor. Mr Mitchell said in a statement: 'It is with great sadness that I have decided to retire from the BBC after more than 38 years’ service of which I am very proud and which I have found greatly enjoyable. 'Given the strain over the past month since being told to stand aside from the job I loved, having endured the Pollard review process and now having read its criticisms, I have decided that it is in my interests and those of the BBC that I bring my career to a dignified end. Moving positions: Newsnight editor Peter Rippon (left) and his deputy Liz Gibbons (right) are being replaced and have not been working on the programme for a number of weeks due to the fallout . 'Whilst . I feel vindicated that the review has found that I put no undue . pressure on Peter Rippon, I disagree with the remainder of Mr Pollard's . criticisms in relation to me. 'I am grateful for all the support I have received from friends and colleagues around the BBC. I request that both my and my family's privacy be respected at this time.' BBC broadcaster Andrew Marr defended former boss Mr Mitchell, telling BBC Radio 4’s The World At One he was a 'good guy'. He said: 'He was always one of the most . cautious, straight down the line, old-fashioned traditional voices in . the BBC. 'And, clearly, there were lots of mistakes made, but any sense, . and Pollard, of course, has pushed this to one side, that there would be . improper pressure applied by Steve Mitchell on a programme about . paedophilia or anything else - utterly, utterly out of court, completely . impossible and against his character.' Coming back: Helen Boaden is due to return to her role as director of news at the Corporation, it was revealed . The BBC said it would tighten up its . procedures for difficult stories and there will be improved guidance and . training for journalists about how and when material should be handed . to police. 'Whilst I feel vindicated that the review has found that I put no undue pressure on Peter Rippon, I disagree with the remainder of Mr Pollard's criticisms in relation to me' Stephen Mitchell, former BBC News deputy director . Meanwhile Helen Boaden is due to return to her role as director of news, despite being criticised in the Pollard report. Ms Boaden's attempt to alert Mr Entwistle to potential problems posed by the story during an industry lunch was 'too casual' and she is criticised for not taking 'greater responsibility' as the crisis grew. Adrian Van Klaveren is also being replaced as Radio 5 Live controller by Jonathan Wall, who is a commissioning editor. But Mr Van Klaveren will not be leaving the BBC and is set to move to a new role, which will be announced next year. Mr Rippon and Ms Gibbons are also moving to other jobs at the Corporation. The McAlpine probe led to the resignation of director-general George Entwistle after just 54 days in the job, and three BBC employees have been disciplined. One is Ms Gibbons, another is Mr Van Klaveren and the third is unknown. Culture Secretary Maria Miller said the report raises serious questions about the BBC's editorial and management issues. VIDEO Stephen Mitchell resigns from the BBC . Helen Boaden, director, BBC NewsThe BBC veteran started her career in radio and rose through the ranks to become head of news at the corporation. An award-winning reporter, she is ultimately responsible for shows such as Today, Newsnight, Question Time and Panorama. Peter Rippon, Newsnight editor . A BBC lifer, Mr Rippon has worked on a string of high-profile shows and took over at Newsnight in 2008. He faced criticism for falling audiences and has seen some high-profile figures leave the show. He stood aside after his explanation in a blog about why the investigation into Jimmy Savile was pulled was criticised for inaccuracies and had to be corrected. He was moved to another role in the BBC. Stephen Mitchell, deputy director of BBC News . A newspaper reporter before he joined the BBC, Mr Mitchell has mainly worked in radio and has been deputy director since 2008. He oversaw the blog written by Peter Rippon which was subsequently corrected by the BBC, and resigned this morning. George Entwistle, former BBC director general . Mr Entwistle joined the BBC as a trainee in 1989 after a short career in magazine journalism and went on to hold jobs including editor of Newsnight, head of current affairs and head of television. His stint in the top job lasted 54 days and he spent virtually his entire tenure trying to deal with the fall-out from the Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal. The final nail in his coffin was the disclosure that Newsnight wrongly implicated Lord McAlpine, a former Tory party treasurer, in a child abuse scandal in north Wales in the 1970s and 1980s. Adrian Van Klaveren, former controller of BBC Radio 5 LiveA former BBC trainee, Mr Van Klaveren has now left his role at 5 Live for another position in the organisation. He signed off on the decision to show the film which led to false allegations that former Tory party treasurer Lord McAlpine is a paedophile. It has now been announced that he will move to a non-news role. PICTURES: (Top to bottom) BBC, Jason Alden/Rex Features, PA, PA, BBC .

Deputy Director of news Stephen Mitchell resigned this morning . Three BBC employees disciplined following the McAlpine fiasco but no one sacked . News director Helen Boaden involved in shelved Savile probe to return top post . Adrian Van Klaveren who signed off botched Lord McAlpine probe replaced as Radio 5 Live controller by Jonathan Wall but will get new job at BBC . Newsnight editor Peter Rippon stepped aside after Savile scandal but will also move to another job at Corporation . His deputy Liz Gibbons was editor on night of botched McAlpine probe and she will also be replaced on Newsnight .

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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 10:12 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 1 October 2013 . Jailed: Janet Cooper has been jailed for eight years after masterminding a £1m scam through her position as a town council clerk . A former town council clerk who masterminded a £1million scam from her office has been jailed for eight years. Janet Cooper spent the money on Mediterranean cruises, holidays with her husband in Devon, a £21,000 car and a box for council staff for a match at West Ham United. When the scale of her offending was uncovered she claimed to be blind and said she had no memory of events. The convicted fraudster - once the subject of a Channel 4 documentary - also carried a white stick and wore black glasses. After the hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Stuart Hall said: 'There is no medical evidence to substantiate her blindness or memory loss.' Cooper was clerk at Brierley Town Council, near Barnsley, for three years. From the beginning of her time at the council she began pocketing a total of £295,000, which she siphoned off from £695,000 public works loans she dishonestly obtained. She used the money to go on holiday, buy a new Volvo and offered £375,000 cash on a four-bedroom bungalow, as well as spending £3,500 for a box at West Ham for council staff to see Barnsley play. She also claimed she was a Channel swimmer and collected sponsorship money. Sentencing her today to eight years in jail Judge Peter Kelson called Cooper 'pathologically dishonest'. She had previously been jailed for 15 months at Basildon Crown Court in 1999 for theft and false accounting and again, in September, 2003 for three years at Leicester for stealing £800,000 from her then employer. On her release she lied on her application form and got her £20,000-a-year job at Brierley Town Council. Her crimes were only uncovered when she went into hospital for a brain tumour operation and a replacement finance officer began investigating. Four council jobs had to be axed, services cut and 5,000 council taxpayers faced increased charges as a result of her offending. Sentence: Jailing her for eight years at Sheffield Crown Court (pictured) Judge Peter Kelson described Cooper as 'pathologically dishonest' The town council is now £1.3 million in debt and has had to take out a £480,000 emergency Government-sanctioned loan to pay recurring annual loan charges of £44,000. It is estimated the current case has cost the state £100,000 in court costs, the police £75,000 to investigate and another £25,000 for the finance officer. Cooper staged the fraud by forging councillors’ signatures on documents and falsifying the minutes of council meetings to apply for loans. 'The dishonesty involved was persistent . at a time when many in this country are thankful for a job. Your salary . wasn’t enough for you and so you deceived your employers in a . sophisticated and complex way' - Judge Peter Kelson . None of the councillors or other officials had any knowledge of her offending. She changed her plea to guilty to four counts of fraud and one of theft on the second day of her trial after the prosecution opened the case. The jury was discharged after returning formal guilty verdicts. Her only defence was loss of memory but Ian Goldsack, prosecuting, told the court that a number of specialists had examined her and 'there were doubts to say the least about the truthfulness of her medical condition'. Cooper, 51, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, admitted dishonestly abusing her position as council clerk by obtaining loans of £350,000, £152,500 and £66,000 from the Public Works Loan Board and a further loan of £127,000 without authority in 2008 and 2009. She also admitted theft of £295,296 belonging to Brierley Town Council between November 1, 2006, when she first started and when her service effectively ended on December 31, 2009. Cooper maintained they were grants but in fact they were loans, said Mr Goldsack, which had serious consequences for the council. 'It has meant significant cuts to services and people losing their jobs and an increase in taxes payable by the local community to try and cover the costs,' he said. Cheques totaling nearly £300,000 were either drawn or transferred from the council’s bank accounts by Cooper in her own name or that of her husband. She also falsified a large number of invoices, some from companies which had never traded with the council. 'When the investigation was underway she has maintained that she has lost her eyesight and she has lost her memory,' said Mr Goldsack. Former Mayor of Brierley Patrick Doyle said in a statement that it had been a disaster for the council in a disadvantaged area. 'Everyone in the community is a victim of this situation for at least the next 20 years,' he said. Her barrister Andrew Smith said: 'This is a lady with complex psychological and personality issues.' Judge Kelson told her: 'The dishonesty involved was persistent at a time when many in this country are thankful for a job. Your salary wasn’t enough for you and so you deceived your employers in a sophisticated and complex way.' He went on: 'But for your ill-health you would have taken more and more and more.' Afterwards Det Sgt Hall said: 'She would often try and ingratiate herself with other people and appear to be quite generous - but it wasn’t her money. 'There is nothing left in her bank account and there are no assets. It has all been frittered away. Barring the odd holiday or purchase she has not really led a champagne lifestyle. 'She has lied about everything and even her husband is another unwitting victim of the lifestyle she has fabricated.'

Janet Cooper spent the money on holidays and a box at West Ham . She claimed to be blind and had no memory when offending came to light . She has admitted fraudulently obtaining £700,000 and theft of £300,000 . She has now been jailed for eight years at Sheffield Crown Court . The town council is now £1.3m in debt and has taken out emergency loan .

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By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 04:07 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:48 EST, 26 November 2013 . Rapist: Marius Glad Trimbitas, 33, who was jailed for eight years for attacking a woman who was waiting for a bus home . A Romanian criminal who was deported eight years ago was able to come back to Britain and rape a woman at a bus stop. Homeless Marius Glad Trimbitas, 33, was kicked out of the country in 2005 after an attack on a prostitute. But he returned this year, and within six months carried out a horrific drug-fuelled assault on a woman waiting for a bus  after a night out. The case raises worrying questions about border controls and how a convicted criminal was able to return to Britain. Last night, police launched an appeal for any other potential victims to come forward, warning that they ‘cannot rule out he has done this before’. Trimbitas was deported in 2005 following the conviction for false imprisonment of the prostitute, Woolwich Crown Court heard. He was given a two-year conditional discharge – effectively a slap on the wrist. But it is thought the nature of the offence, and the lack of proper punishment, meant his criminal record was not uploaded to border watch lists, allowing him to return in March this year. Last month, he targeted his 24-year-old victim after she left the Ministry of Sound nightclub near Elephant and Castle in South London. Sentencing him to eight years in jail, Judge Alice Robinson said the attack had a ‘devastating’ impact on the woman. Evidence: A shoe Marius Glad Trimbitas abandoned at the scene after being fought off by passers by who heard his victim's screams. Forensic tests were carried out linking him to the sex attack . She was left with multiple injuries following the assault on October 6 and was saved only when three members of the public heard her cries and fought off the attacker. Simon Shannon, prosecuting, said the victim was out with friends for a birthday celebration and left the nightclub to catch a bus home. She was walking along the New Kent Road at 4am. ‘Before she knew what had happened she had been grabbed from behind,’ Mr Shannon said. Trimbitas dragged the victim into a stairwell, where he subjected her to a horrific assault while threatening to kill her. The attack was ‘extremely painful’, and the victim struggled to breathe, Mr Shannon said. When she screamed, Trimbitas shoved his hand into her mouth. It ended only when three passers-by intervened and one dragged Trimbitas off the woman. Scene: The woman was attacked while waiting for a bus on New Kent Road, near Elephant and Castle, south London, last month . He was traced from a shoe left at the scene. Police launched a manhunt across South London to identify him and eventually he handed himself in. Trimbitas admitted rape, sexual assault and making threats to kill. Judge Robinson said: ‘You were here little more than six months before committing this horrific crime.’ She said he was ‘so drunk and/or high on drugs’ that he could not remember the attack. ‘You inflicted serious injuries on this victim, both physical and psychological,’ she said. The court heard Trimbitas described his own actions as ‘beyond evil’. Labour politicians said that the case raised serious questions about border checks. Night out: The woman, 24, had spent the evening at the Ministry of Sound nightclub and was waiting for a bus home when she was attacked . Shadow immigration minister David Hanson said: ‘This was a horrific and needless attack as the man in question should never have been allowed back into the country. ‘The Government should make clear what they are doing to ensure something like this can never happen again.’ Detective Inspector Jackie Wakeford-Smith said the attack was ‘horrendous’ and ‘beyond words’. ‘I cannot rule out that he has not done this before. If you have been assaulted by Trimbitas, please come forward and tell us.’ A Home Office spokesman said the rapist will be deported at the end of his sentence. ‘Anyone coming to the UK must abide by our laws and EU citizens who commit crimes are liable to be removed,’ he added. ‘Marius Trimbitas has been found guilty of an appalling attack and is rightly behind bars.’ The spokesman said the Government was ‘starting the deportation process earlier and removing foreign criminals quicker than ever’. Since 2010, more than 17,000 offenders had been removed or deported, including 4,765 last year. He added that the Home Office has ‘close operational links with European police forces’ who share intelligence. Romanian and Polish officers are also seconded to provide intelligence and information on overseas convictions.

Marius Glad Trimbitas raped the woman, 24, in a stairwell in south London . The rapist, who described himself as 'evil', was fought off by passers by . He was deported from Britain in 2005 but returned in March this year . The victim was waiting for a bus home when she was attacked last month . Police said they 'cannot rule out' that Trimbitas may have carried out similar attacks .

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Washington (CNN) -- Internships can be crucial career-builders. But what if you can't afford to work for free all summer? Jessica Padron of Nevada may have found the solution. After securing a prestigious unpaid student internship in the office of Senate leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, she has begun a crowdfunding appeal online. She is asking donors to help pay for her housing, transportation, and food, which she estimates will cost her $6,500 over the four months in the capital. "If I don't reach my goal," she writes in her appeal, "I will be forced to relinquish this opportunity and miss out on this once in a lifetime chance." As of Tuesday, online donors had already chipped in enough for half of her costs. Some observers say there is some irony here, given that plenty of lawmakers are pushing to raise the minimum wage, yet don't pay a cent to some of their hardest workers. "Of everybody in the federal government, only Congress is allowed to use unpaid interns," says Eric Glatt, a former unpaid intern who is now an activist with the Fair Pay Campaign. "They have explicitly written an exemption for themselves into the law." And it's not just Congress. Private employers in Washington and across the country can offer internships without pay. (Disclosure: CNN pays its interns.) Glatt warns that because only affluent students can afford to work for free, many students will be denied a crucial career experience. "It is excluding the vast majority of people who cannot afford to work for free, or have their parents afford for their children to work for free," he said. "It also promotes inequality." Glatt worked for free as an intern on the movie "Black Swan," but later successfully sued the movie studio, claiming that it was not fair that he was paid nothing. "Employers think that if they slap the word intern on a job then they don't have to pay for it," he said. "Why do people think they can get away with this?" But at a time of elevated unemployment, and government spending cuts, it may be difficult to persuade employers to pay minimum wage. And requiring all interns to be paid could have a downside, according to Michael Saltsman at the Employment Policies Institute. "If we mandate that all internships must be paid, and then we have fewer internships, I don't think that helps anyone," he said. Plus, he said, while internships often involve menial work, they also provide valuable experience and interesting work, and should not be jeopardized with new requirements. "These are internships that dozens or hundreds of people would really pine for." Indeed, one intern, with the publication "The Daily Caller," had a chance to ask a question at the daily White House briefing last month. And several interns for news outlets became famous during the live coverage of the Supreme Court's biggest decisions in June, as they sprinted out of the court holding the papers that announced how the court ruled on the Civil Rights Act and same-sex marriage. The spectacle was nicknamed "The Running of the Interns." And the value of internships on a resume is something undergraduates are keenly aware of. "All I hear from the career center at school is, internships are almost a necessary thing," says Emma Dolson, a student at Wake Forest, who scored a (paid) internship with a lobbying firm in D.C. "Your resume needs to have internships on it or you are way, way behind," she said.

One intern turns to web to raise money to cover housing, food costs . Congress only area of government allowed to have unpaid interns . But private employers can offer similar work without pay . Value of internships on a resume is something students are keenly aware of .

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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- International troops in Afghanistan endured another deadly attack Tuesday, a day after 10 NATO-led troops were killed in that country. The body of a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan arrives in the United States on Monday. A U.S. coalition service member "died as a result of injuries" on Tuesday afternoon in a roadside bombing attack on a convoy in western Afghanistan, the U.S. military said. This follows 10 NATO-led deaths on Monday, the highest single-day total in Afghanistan in nearly a year, according to NATO and U.S.-led coalition numbers. Seven Americans, two Canadians and one Briton died in four separate incidents Monday. On August 18, 2008, 10 French soldiers were killed when about 100 insurgents attacked a patrol in Kabul Province, and a British soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan when insurgents attacked a patrol with a roadside bomb. A month before that, 10 American troops were killed in two separate incidents on July 13, 2008. The latest deaths came as U.S. troops cranked up their fight against the Taliban, a push that includes a major Marine-led offensive against the militants in the southern province of Helmand. Roadside bombs Monday killed four Americans in the northern province of Kunduz and two in southern Afghanistan, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said. A seventh American died in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, ISAF confirmed. Two Canadian air crew members and a British soldier were killed when a helicopter crashed during takeoff in Zabul province, the Canadian and British defense ministries said.

U.S. soldier killed in roadside bombing on a convoy in western Afghanistan . Follows deaths of 7 Americans, 2 Canadians, 1 Briton in separate incidents . Latest deaths come as U.S. forces ratchet up fight against Taliban .

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By . Beth Stebner and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 18 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:03 EST, 18 March 2012 . On the six-month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement, protesters swarmed its birthplace –Zuccotti Park – again sparking the cat-and-mouse clashes between New York City police officers and demonstrators. The sweep of the park by police just before midnight capped a day of demonstrations and marching in lower Manhattan. As of Sunday afternoon, there were 73 people were detained by police. The clashes began around 11.30pm Saturday night as protesters began breaking the official rule of the park which forbids the use of tents in an effort to curb overnight protests. Breaking rules: Police say that they started arresting protesters when they saw tents and sleeping bags which are both banned from the park in an effort to prevent night-long protests . Injuries: Witnesses said that police beat protesters with batons and night sticks, as this protester is taken away by ambulance . Anniversary: NYPD officers clash with members of the Occupy Wall St movement at Zuccotti park in New York last night . Several arrests: A bus was brought in to remove the arrested protesters . Witnesses claimed that police gave . the protesters very little notice before police entered the park and . forced the protesters out. Some even said that police beat the . protesters as they detained them, though there are no official figures . to check those claims against. 'Most of the people, they left the . park. People who refused to leave and were staying were arrested,' said . NYPD detective Brian Sessa. An unused public transit bus was brought in to cart away about a dozen demonstrators in plastic handcuffs. One female under arrest apparently suffered a seizure and had difficulty breathing. She was taken away in an ambulance to be treated. For hours, the demonstrators had been . chanting and holding impromptu meetings in the park to celebrate the . anniversary of the movement that has brought attention to economic . inequality, as police mainly kept their distance. 'They . set up tents. They had sleeping bags,' Mr Sessa told the Associated Press. Taken down: One protester missing his right shoe is pinned to the ground by an NYPD officer . The clash: An NYPD officer runs after a woman in green as those around her are being arrested . Electrical boxes also were tampered with and there was evidence of . graffiti. Mr Sessa said . Brookfield Properties, the park owner, sent in security to advise the . protesters to stop pitching tents and to leave the park. The protesters, in turn, became . agitated with them. The company then asked the police to help them clear . out the park, the detective said. Many protesters shouted and officers . took out their batons after a demonstrator threw a glass bottle at the . bus that police were using to detain protesters. Sandra . Nurse, a member of Occupy's direct action working group, said police . treated demonstrators roughly and made arbitrary arrests. She disputed . the police assertion that demonstrators had broken park rules by putting . up tents or getting out sleeping bags. Reigniting the movement: Saturday was the Occupy movement's six month anniversary which prompted protesters to head back out to its birthplace in Zuccotti Park . Stand off: 'Most of the people, they left the park. People who refused to leave and were staying were arrested,' said NYPD detective Brian Sessa . Famous face: Activist and outspoken filmmaker Michael Moore joined protesters and spoke briefly at the rally, calling it 'the beginning' American Spring: More than a dozen arrested protesters sit on the ground outside of Zuccotti Park; protesters are likening the Occupy movement to the Arab Spring . 'I . didn't see any sleeping bags,' she said. 'There was a banner hung . between two trees and a tarp thrown over it ... It wasn't a tent. It was . an erect thing, if that's what you want to call it.' She said they had reports of about 25 demonstrators arrested in the police sweep. Protesters . reconvened at the park following afternoon marches through New York's . financial district. By 11pm, roughly 300 had gathered there. 'People are concerned that they have no control over their own . democracy. They have no control over their own lives. This is the beginning. This park is sacred ground for millions across the country.' -Filmmaker Michael Moore . 'This . is our spring offensive,' Michael Premo, 30, of New York told Reuters. He identified himself as a spokesman for the movement. 'People think the Occupy movement has gone away. It's important for people to see we're back.' Inspired . by the pro-democracy Arab Spring, the Wall Street protesters targeted . U.S. financial policies they blamed for the yawning income gap between . rich and poor in the country, between what they called the one per cent . and the 99 per cent. The demonstrators set up camp in Zuccotti Park on September 17 and sparked a wave of protests across the United States. Events got under way near midday on . Saturday, with street theatre troupes performing and guitar players . leading sing-alongs. Some boisterous protesters marched through the . streets of the financial district, chanting 'bankers are gangsters' and . cursing at police. Spreading the love: Calling the move their spring offensive, Saturday night's protest was timed with the six-month anniversary . Peace versus police: Though the protesters have come and gone in waves since the initial stand off, Zuccotti Park has been the hub of the movement's activity within New York . As they have in past marches, . protesters led police on a series of cat-and-mouse chases. Marchers at . the front of the crowd would suddenly turn down narrow side streets, . startling tourists and forcing police to send officers on motor scooters . to contain the crowd. The movement has made headlines for its clashes with police after campsites were set up for months in cities from New York to California. The camps were eventually shut down by authorities citing zoning regulations and public health concerns. In New York, the Occupy movement lost significant momentum in November when a pre-dawn sweep broke up the encampment at Zuccotti, although Occupy protests in Oakland, California, in January led to police firing tear gas into crowds of protesters and more than 200 were arrested. Civil disobedience: Protesters that have been arrested sit on the ground in plastic hand cuffs . Hovering: Police stand over a detained protester; one NYPD officer holds another set of plastic hand cuffs . Protester Paul Sylvester, 24, of . Massachusetts said he was 'thrilled' to be back at the park but said he . hoped the movement would begin to crystallize around specific goals. 'We need to be more concrete and specific,' he said. Critics say the Occupy movement lacks direction and clear demands. It . continues to draw celebrities, however. On Saturday night, independent . filmmaker Michael Moore strode through the park before the police . incursion. 'I think it's great that this movement continues to grow,' Mr Moore said. 'I think the goals are clear. People are concerned that they have no control over their own democracy. They have no control over their own lives. 'This is the beginning. This park is sacred ground for millions across the country.' As always, the protesters focused on a variety of concerns, but for Tom Hagan, his sights were on the giants of finance. 'Wall Street did some terrible things, especially Goldman Sachs, but all of them. Everyone from the banks to the rating agencies, they all knew they were doing wrong. ... But they did it anyway. Because the money was too big,' he said. Dressed in an outfit that might have been more appropriate for the St. Patrick's Day parade, the 61-year-old salesman wore a green shamrock cap and carried a sign asking for saintly intervention: 'St. Patrick: Drive the snakes out of Wall Street.' Chalkupy Wall Street: Earlier in the day, protesters chalked OW-inspired phrases in Zuccotti Park . Stacy Hessler held up a cardboard sign that read, 'Spring is coming,' a reference, she said, both to the Arab Spring and to the warm weather that is returning to New York City. She said she believes the nicer weather will bring the crowds back to Occupy protests, where numbers have dwindled in recent months since the group's encampment was ousted from Zuccotti Park by authorities in November. But now, 'more and more people are coming out,' said the 39-year-old, who left her home in Florida in October to join the Manhattan protesters and stayed through much of the winter. 'The next couple of months, things are going to start to grow, like the flowers.' Some have questioned whether the group can regain its momentum. This month, the finance accounting group in New York City reported that just about $119,000 remained in Occupy's bank account - the equivalent of about two weeks' worth of expenses. But Ms Hessler said the group has remained strong, and she pronounced herself satisfied with what the Occupy protesters have accomplished over the last half year. 'It's changed the language,' she said. 'It's brought out a lot of issues that people are talking about. And that's the start of change.'

Protesters gathered at Zuccotti Park on six-month anniversary of movement . Latest count has 73 people arrested in the famed park .

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By . Wills Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:20 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:28 EST, 7 November 2013 . At three weeks old, this baby Asian elephant loves spending the day scampering around his enclosure in a bid to find his feet. But it seems the calf is still trying to get to grips with his tiny legs after he fell trunk-first into the mud when his feet got tangled up. Luckily, his doting mother was there in seconds to rescue her clumsy new-born and propped him back up on all fours before he ran off again. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Unsteady: Three-week old Max looks a little wobbly while trying to stand up at Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable . Unbalanced: The baby animal is still struggling to find its feet after entering the world and begins to slip as he runs around a log . Ouch! He falls trunk-first into the mud as his front legs give way . Most people think elephants are hairless animals - but the pictures of little Max show nothing could be further from the truth. Elephant calves are born with a lot of coarse hair on their heads and back, which they lose as they get older. It's not conclusively known why this head and back hair exists, although hair around the eyes and ears is usually for protection from elements and 'invading particles'. It could also provide an extra sense of touch to newborns, who rely heavily on their mother's presence for many years. It may just be a hangover of time in the womb. Elephant foetuses are covered in a felt of downy hair called 'lanugo'. Most of this is shed before birth. The longest hair on an adult elephant can be found in it's tail, which can grow to more than three feet long. The trunks is also covered in small sensory hairs that help in the animals 'feel' and identify objects. Baby Max was born on October 12 to . second-time mum Karishma at Whipsade Zoo in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He has . spent the first few weeks of his life playing with the herd and rushing . around the seven-acre paddock. Zookeepers . say the 22-stone elephant has been a 'handful' ever since he was welcomed . into the world and sometimes needs a helping hand when he is on the . move. He was pictured having the ungainly moment at the zoo when his legs gave way while he was running around a tree trunk. Zookeeper Stefan Groeneveld, who is watching Max's development, said: 'He has come on so much in just three weeks and is already showing an independent streak. 'He’ll happily leave his mum’s side to go and play in the paddock with the rest of the herd. 'Karishma is proving to be an excellent mum and the other elephants are just so excited to be around Max. 'Elephants are very social animals and having youngsters joining the herd is what elephant life is all about.' Max shares Whipsnade’s seven acre paddock with nine other elephants – including brother George, aged three, and half siblings Donna, four, and Scott, two. Back up: Max's mother Karishma comes to his rescue within seconds and helps him back to his feet . Supportive: His doting mother has been keeping a close eye on him ever since he was born . Settling in: Max may have only been at the zoo for less than a month, but zookeepers say he is already loved by the herd and is very excitable . Mr Groenveld added: 'The herd love him, when he was first born they all wanted to see him and be with him. 'His younger brother Scott was nervous at first and stayed away with him but is now bullying him, which is a good sign. 'He runs around all the time, he is just full of energy at the moment. Eager: The speedy nipper was moving around on his feet within minutes of being born and is already amusing zookeepers as he gets to grips with his tiny trunk . By his side: Sometimes his mother needs to protect him a little bit more . Siblings: His half brother Scott, two, was uneasy with Max at the start, but is now bullying him which, according to zookeepers, is a good sign . Rascal: Staff at the zoo say the new-born is a 'handful' and does not seem to stop . 'He doesn't seem to stop at all so he is definitely a handful. The new arrival is an important addition to the European Endangered species Programme for Asian elephants because there are thought to be only around 35,000 left in the wild. Their numbers have declined by at least 50 per cent over the last three generations due to habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.

Baby Max was playing at Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable when he fell . Was running around a tree trunk when his legs gave way and slipped over . His mother, Karishma, was there by her offspring's side to help him up . New-born is three feet tall, weighs 22 stone and is still trying to balance .

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(CNN) -- Andy Carroll scored twice, his first goals for Liverpool, to help his club comfortably defeat Manchester City 3-0 in Monday's Premier League encounter at Anfield. City, who needed a victory to move above Chelsea into third place in the table, were blown away by a devastating first half performance from Liverpool, who have consolidated sixth position with this result. Liverpool began brightly and nearly took a seventh-minute lead when Luis Suarez's fine strike was tipped onto the post by City's England goalkeeper Joe Hart. But the visiting defense was struggling to cope with Liverpool's wave of attacks and the hosts took a deserved lead six minutes later when Carroll's superbly struck left-footed strike, from just outside the area, swerved past Hart for his first goal since joining the club for a British record transfer fee in January. Liverpool doubled their lead in the 34th minute when City failed to clear a succession of crosses and blocked shots, the ball eventually falling to the feet of Dirk Kuyt who fired through the legs of defender Alexander Kolarov and past Hart. Liverpool made it 3-0 a minute later when Raul Meireles curled in an inviting cross from the left for Carroll to outjump Kolarov and help the ball into the far corner of the net. Liverpool had chances to increase their lead after the break but Hart did well to keep out efforts from Meireles and Kuyt, while Suarez fired wide from an acute angle and Carroll headed over the crossbar from a good position. City's defeat means they lie just three points ahead of Tottenham, who have a game in hand, in the race for the final Champions League place, with the teams still to play each other this season. A bad night for Roberto Mancini's side was made worse with the news that talismanic striker Carlos Tevez is now doubtful for Sunday's FA Cup semifinal against rivals Manchester United at Wembley, after limping off in the first half with a hamstring injury.

Andy Carroll scores his first Liverpool goals in a 3-0 win over Manchester City . They are Carroll's first goals since his records transfer from Newcastle in January . Dirk Kuyt also scores as Liverpool consolidate sixth place in the table . Manchester City remain fourth, just three points ahead of Tottenham in fifth .

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Upgrades to the House of Commons gym which features a new sauna and spinning studio named after the Speaker have cost taxpayers £1million – more than four times the proposed cost. The Westminster Gym, exclusively used by parliamentary passholders, now boasts a towel room, a new area for exercise bikes and a renovated reception. Taxpayers will foot the bill for improvements at the fitness centre, which counts Jack Straw, Iain Duncan Smith and David Davis among its users. Commons' Speaker, John Bercow, will officially re-open the gym next week and inspect the new spinning studio which has been named after him. Upgrades to the House of Commons gym which features a new sauna have cost taxpayers £1million . A new spinning studio has been named after House of Commons Speaker John Bercow (pictured) The upgrades, which also include improving disabled access and treating damp, were originally meant to cost £250,000. But that figure is expected to rise to £1,081,379, according to figures obtained by the Sunday Times through a freedom of information request. Andy Silvester, campaign director of the Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group, said: 'Every day we hear hot air from politicians about balancing the books, so to see that a sauna and a spinning studio have survived the austerity programme is absolutely remarkable, especially when the rest of the estate is in such bad shape,' Silvester said. 'With the amount of gyms in Westminster, it's baffling that taxpayers are still paying for a gym that they're barred from using.' Taxpayers will foot the bill for improvements which includes a new area for exercise bikes (not pictured) and a renovated reception . At least 700 MPs, peers and other parliamentary pass holders belong to the health club which gets its income and profit from membership fees . He pointed out that voters have already paid £2billion for essential repairs to the Palace of Westminster. At least 700 MPs, peers and other parliamentary pass holders belong to the health club which gets its income and profit from membership fees – the most expensive of which costs £47 a month. The House of Commons has a share of the profits and in the year from 2012 to 2013 it received £21,337. The refurbishment comes just three years after the ventilation system in the basement area of the Commons was refurbished at a cost of £247,500. There was no mention of replacing the sauna in the men's changing room with a new model when reports of the plans first surfaced. A spokesman for the House of Commons said: 'In taking advantage of the opportunity we anticipate cost savings in the longer term, as the area will not be disturbed when the systems in the remaining parts of the building are renewed. MPs spent £518,635 on hotels, airline upgrades and bar bills last year including a £3,174 stay at the five-star Windsor Atlantica in Rio de Janeiro (pictured) 'It is the only facility of its kind on the estate, extensively used by a variety of groups, including members and staff, and it was not possible to replicate the facility elsewhere. 'This meant that work had to be phased and carried out during evenings and weekends.' It has also been revealed that MPs and their staff ran up bills of £227,000 at hotels around the world that were paid for with the procurement cards. Five-star hotels, airline upgrades, bar bills and treatment for bad backs helped to push up the annual total by £80,000 to £518,635 last year. The Commons international development select committee spent £3,174 staying at the five-star Windsor Atlantica in Rio de Janeiro. More than £2,143 was also spent by the same group at the Gefinor Rotana in Beirut and the justice select committee had a bill of £1,653.40 bill at the Old Government House in Guernsey. A Commons spokesman said: 'The procurement cards were used for business purposes, allowing a limited number of employees to pay for relatively low-value items in a secure and efficient way.' 'The cards have strict controls for the authorisation of all transactions.'

Upgrades to the House of Commons gym have cost taxpayers £1million . This is four times the proposed cost of £250,000 and includes a new sauna . A new spinning studio has been named after Speaker John Bercow . MPs spent £518,635 on hotels, airline upgrades and bar bills last year .

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Early morning in a Manhattan apartment, and a camera shot lingers on discarded underwear on the floor before panning to a sleeping couple in bed, two half-drunk glasses of wine on the table beside them. The man rises, dresses, and tiptoes out before pitching up at a photo shoot where he explains to his model friend that he ‘done a little sneak out this morning’. Yes, while the backdrop may be pure Sex And The City, the language in this particular show is rather more The Only Way Is Essex. But then that’s not a huge surprise, given that it’s made in exactly the same mould. Following in the sky-high heels of Towie and Made in Chelsea, Taking New York is the latest in ‘constructed reality’ series, this time following a group of twenty-something Brits as they forge new lives amid the skyscrapers of the Big Apple. Scroll down for video . These Brits abroad are filmed as they work, fight and look for love in the Big Apple in E4's new 'reality' show . And while the architecture might be new – think achingly hip rooftop bars and loft apartments - the content is all too familiar, with squabbles, snogs and slightly contrived friendship dramas the order of the day. And of course, the cast are universally easy on the eye, not in the least because two of them are models: Jamie, a 23-year-old model from Essex (and the culprit who abandons his date in the first shot of the opening episode), and Sumner, 24, who has previously featured in Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model. Moreover the producers have even managed to nab a couple of achingly pretty blonde identical twins, Amy and Megan Purssey, 26, although in fairness they are also both rather clever too. Both speak fluent French and Amy has a History of Art degree under her belt, while her twin studied Mandarin at London’s SOAS. Little wonder, then, that both are anxious to emphasise that in their view, Taking New York is a cut above the average reality show. Amy said: ‘Yes it’s a reality show but I hope people will think there’s a little bit more to it as well. The young people in this city are so inspirational and everyone works so hard. You can’t drop the ball. You have to be focused and I think that comes across.’ In fact, moving to New York was always Megan’s dream – Amy just got there first after Megan fixed up an internship at a contemporary Chinese art gallery downtown. Two years later, it has turned into a full-time curator role complete with apartment in a fashionable area of Brooklyn with a view of Manhattan’s skyline. Amy Purssey (left) is working in New York while her twin, Megan (right) tries to devise a way to join her . She left her back in Brighton trying to work out how she could join her twin – although we see plenty of her in the show as she visits so often. Amy was the one with the history of art degree, so it was the right thing for her to get that job,’ she said. ‘And us two being twins there’s not a jealous side – I mean as long as one of us wins or comes second that’s what matters.’ Neither had reservations about submitting to the glare of the cameras. ‘To be honest I just thought it sounded like a really good platform for us both,’ said Megan. ‘Initially it did feel a bit strange being followed around by a film crew but you quickly get used to it and by the end we barely even noticed them.’ What, though, about the cringe-worthy prospect of their parents watching their fledgling romances and - whisper it – one night stands unfolding on the small screen. ‘You’ve got to go with it – you can’t be half-hearted when you agree to do a show like this, so it’s warts and all,’ said Megan. ‘I’m okay with it. My parents were totally ‘‘go for it’’. The only thing that will make them cringe will be if they see their daughters kissing a guy – we’re still their little girls and no parent likes that.’ In any event, Amy insists that despite being one half of beautiful British twins they are not overwhelmed with offers. ‘People actually seem to find us a bit intimidating. We are very confident with each other and I think that puts people off so we don’t get approached as much as you might think’. Self-confessed 'posh' cast member Sophie Pape runs her own events business in New York . Their friend and fellow cast member Sophie Pape, meanwhile, admits she did have reservations about taking part in the show – although she is also similarly defensive. Boarding school educated, the 28-year-old self-confessed ‘posh one’ arrived in New York via a few years on women’s magazines in London and now runs her own events business, something she puts down to ‘sheer hard work.’ She said: ‘I came with a couple of hundred of dollars and a bag and the offer of a room for a couple of days in the apartment of a friend’s brother. Three years later I’m still there. 'I’ve worked massively hard to get where I am so obviously I wondered if a reality show would damage that - but then the way I saw it is that like it or not the reality genre is a huge part of our cultural landscape, so why not embrace it? 'I hope people will see that we put a lot into our lives here. We’re not just flitting from cocktail to cocktail.’ In any event, her main dismay having seen an early edit of the first episode is about her appearance. ‘I’ve got the opposite of body dysmorphia in that I’m one of these people who thinks I look pretty great most of the time – you know, I do yoga, I eat kale, how bad can it be?’ she laughed. ‘Then I watched it and thought "where the hell did I get double chin". And the humidity didn’t do me any favours hair-wise.’ Sophie is the first to admit that adjustments had to be made: while Taking New York features a whirl of rooftop cocktail bars and openings she says the reality of her life is much harder work. ‘It’s part of the culture here. If someone sends you an email at 11pm not answering it is not an option.’ Then there are the different dating rules. ‘My penchant for American men is my downfall as they tend to date numerous people at the same time. So you’ve been dating someone for two months and you think maybe you are properly going out and they look at you like you’re a psycho. So there’s a degree of hopelessness with boys and my personal life is often in disarray,’ she admitted. All the better, of course, for the series producers, who for whom romantic trauma is a ratings boost. Gagan Chadha, 27, has been in New York since 2010 and is one of the show's many lotharios . Step forward Gagan Chadha, 27, one of the (many) lotharios of the series - a suggestion he appears to be in no hurry to deny. ‘It’s inevitable. I’m surrounded constantly by models so it’s hard not to be,’ he shrugged. ‘Being British definitely helps – the accent and even the way we dress is completely different. They can spot you a mile off.’ In fact, Manchester-born Gagan actually ended up in New York by accident, after attending a wedding there in 2010 and liking the city so much he never came back. ‘I thought if I went home and tried to make a plan to move it would never happen so instead I thought I would just stay. The worst that was going to happen was that I would just have to come back.’ He didn’t have to – within six months he had returned to England, but only to pack up his things for good. After an internship for a hedge fund and a marketing firm he got paid work with an events firm, working his way up before setting up his own printing business and latterly running a bar and club. It helped that he had dual citizenship, courtesy of his family, who for a time were going to move to the US, meaning he had none of the visa trouble that plagues other ambitious young Brits. Still, he insists it wasn’t easy. Hunk Jamie, 23, from Essex is a male model who abandons his date in the first episode . Sumner is a reality TV veteran after appearing in both Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model . 'At first I was like a headless chicken – I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I’d get on the subway and end up in the Bronx. It was hard to make friends too - the banter is completely different put here. So it took a while to adjust but I loved the lifestyle,’ he said. It all certainly seems to have turned out rosily enough - these days Gagan rents an apartment in the West Village and counts Sarah Jessica Parker as his neighbour. ‘I see her most mornings when she takes her kids to school but it’s really not a big deal.’ It all feels insanely glamorous, what with the fashion parties and gallery openings. Still, Sophie insists there is a lot she misses about life back home. ‘Marks and Spencer, the sense of humour and self-deprecation, which doesn’t exist over here – over here if you do yourself down they assume you need therapy,’ she said. ‘I even miss drizzle.’ Not enough to come back though. Because as Amy puts it, New York is a seductive mistress. ‘It’s like an amazing lover,’ she said. ‘Sometimes it doesn’t treat you well and you know you deserve better - but you can’t deny there’s a chemistry and you always end up going back for more.’ The key question, of course, is whether the viewers will do the same. Taking New York airs Mondays at 9pm on E4 .

'Constructed reality' series Taking New York follows Brits in the Big Apple . New E4 programme in the mould of Made In Chelsea and TOWIE . Follows UK men and women try to make it and find love in Manhattan .

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By . Rebecca Evans . It is called Mount Pleasant estate – but the name could not be further from the reality of those who  have to live here. For this sprawling, dilapidated industrial park in a deprived corner of London was not built for human habitation. But the rat-infested warren of crumbling Victorian buildings is home to desperate people living in makeshift lodgings that even they describe as 'like living in a ghetto'. Migrants are living illegally in crumbling rat-infested Victorian buildings in Brent, north-west London . The illegal 'hidden homes' are unfit for purpose, with whole families, mainly immigrants, cramped into tiny rooms without heating or proper sanitation . It is part of a worrying new phenomenon in London and the Home Counties, whereby commercial buildings, such as warehouses, factories, offices and garages, are shoddily converted and rented out as residential lets. These illegal ‘hidden homes’ are unfit for purpose, with whole families, mainly immigrants, cramped into tiny rooms without heating or proper sanitation. They are unregulated, unsafe and, as a result of being poorly wired for electricity, have caused more than 30 fires in the past nine months, which claimed two lives. London Fire Brigade has warned of the dangers while councils struggle to cope with their emergence. The situation in Mount Pleasant, in the North-West London borough of  Brent, only came to light when the emergency services responded to a small fire and found up to 100 people living in appalling conditions. Most have now been evicted but around 30 – mostly immigrants from Eastern Europe or Asia – remain, with just one bathroom and mould-covered kitchen, between all of them. The situation in Mount Pleasant, in the London borough of Brent, only came to light when the emergency services responded to a small fire and found up to 100 people living in appalling conditions . Other authorities with the problem include Slough, in Berkshire, Newham in East London and Ealing in West London . One 28-year-old Indian man, who did not want to reveal his real name for fear of reprisals, has lived there for 18 months and pays £600 a month in rent. His only heat is from a gas hob ring and light from a torch or candle. He said: ‘It is like a ghetto.’ Unemployed Romanian handyman Peter and girlfriend Anya, both 25, share a tiny room for £400 a month and also have no power or heating. Samir Fertal, 38, who owns a garage on the estate, said he was fighting a constant battle against rats and rubbish. - 'It is like a ghetto' Other authorities with the problem include Slough, in Berkshire, Newham in East London and Ealing in West London. Many of the buildings have been sub-let many times with rent being paid in cash, making it difficult to trace who is accountable. Landlords who are found often exploit a loophole by claiming they are renting to relatives. Last month Harrow Council, in North-West London, chartered a plane with thermal imaging, uncovering four times more ‘suspicious’ outbuildings than expected. Housing minister Kris Hopkins said £6million had been made available to local authorities to ‘root out the cowboys’ and 950 illegal and overcrowded commercial properties had been uncovered as a result. Commercial buildings, such as warehouses, factories, offices and garages, are being shoddily converted and rented out as residential let in areas across London .

Run-down buildings being used as makeshift homes by immigrants . 'Hidden homes' are unfit for purpose and have no heating or sanitation . Fire service found up to 100 people living illegally in Brent, north London .

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Surrounded by 25 acres of parkland and boasting its own clock tower, stables and servants’ quarters, Windlestone Hall was expected to attract offers of more than £2million. But six years after it first went on the market the birthplace of former prime minister Sir Anthony Eden has gone for just a fraction of its original valuation and sold for just £241,000. The extraordinary drop in price belies its great history and grandeur and makes it one of the most spectacular property bargains in recent years. Piece of history: Windlestone Hall is thought to have been valued at nearly £2million just a few years ago . Sign of distinction: The 19th-century clocktower would have been in place when former Prime Minister Anthony Eden was born here . Deserted for years: The house has not been used since 2003, when a local authority school moved out because it needed major repairs . Elegant decor: One of several ornate ceilings within the beautiful building . In 2010, English Heritage refused the proposals by a developer who wanted to build luxury homes on the site . Opulent fashion: Classical mouldings shaped like swirling leaves and baskets of flowers decorate walls and ceilings throughout the mansion . Last night, its new owners, who have chosen to remain anonymous, vowed: ‘It is a private home which is going to be renovated back to its original splendour.’ But not everyone was as pleased to see the sale go through. The local council, which owns and sold the grade-II listed country pile, has been accused of ‘frittering’ away money amid claims that one prospective buyer offered £1.5million for the property. The claims, which have been denied by the council, means the property could have been under-sold by £1.25million. The charming house features grand staircases, Doric order columns and 12 bay windows at the front . Generations of happy families: Hall as viewed from the former pleasure gardens with the clocktower in the background . The Hall has a billiard room, a library with a dummy bookcase leading to its gallery and a drawing room . Affluent past: Staff quarters and a stable are situated in the extensive grounds . Born at the hall: Anthony Eden was born at Windlestone in 1897, before going on to become Conservative Prime Minister in the fifties . And while the picturesque home, located . near the County Durham village of Rushyford, is said to need urgent . repairs costing an estimated £3million one critic insisted the council . had still sold it far too cheaply. County Councillor John Shuttleworth said: ‘The property was on the market for a figure approaching £2million in 2007. ‘The council was offered £1.5million in the same year, but they turned this offer down. It is a massive, massive property, with ornate period features. ‘Even in today’s climate the land itself should be worth at least £4,000 an acre making the parkland alone worth £100,000. I think the sale for this price is totally wrong.’ The 19th century hall was first built in 1835, incorporating a section of the rear wing which dated back to 1750. Designed by architect Ignatius Bonomi and built for Robert Thompson Eden, the property was the 1897 birthplace of the former Tory prime minister Sir Anthony Eden who led the country between 1955 and 1957. His family sold the hall in the 1920s and it was later used as a prisoner of war camp before becoming a school for youngsters with emotional and behavioural difficulties . Gorgeous setting: Windlestone lies within 25 acres of lush parkland . Grand interior: The hall boasts a library with dummy bookshelf, many original staircases and fireplaces - but needs major repairs . Upstairs downstairs: The northern elevation of the former staff accommodation . Glorious countryside: An earlier prospective buyer wanted to build luxury flats on the site - but the new owners intend to restore the home to its former splendour . Enduring designs: Map showing the listed buildings in and around the 19th-century home . But following the need for extensive . repairs the school relocated several years ago to a purpose-built site . two miles away, leaving the hall empty. In 2006 Durham County Council, faced . with an £81,000 annual bill to maintain the hall, decided to sell up to a . property developer who planned to turn the hall into luxury flats. 'As the hall is a grade II* listed building, we were obliged by law to protect and maintain it while it was under our ownership. However, the proposals were  rejected by English Heritage. After the deal fell through the council began looking at alternative options when it received an expression of interest which finally led to its sale. The U-shaped home has a billiard room, a library with a dummy bookcase leading to its gallery, stables, separate staff quarters and many original marble fireplaces. A spokesman for English Heritage said it was of the ‘most historically significant buildings in the North East’, adding: ‘We are pleased new owners have been found and look forward to working with them and the council.’ From Baronets to blackboards: An extension was added on to Windlestone when parts of it became a school between 1957 and 2003 . Windlestone Hall was built in 1835 and instantly became one of the region's grandest stately homes. It was commissioned by Baronet Robert Johnson . Eden, to replace his 16th-century manor, and designed by architect Ignatius Bonomi. On . the death of the fifth Baronet in 1844, the estate and Baronetcy passed . to his cousin, Sir William Eden, the fourth Eden of Maryland Baronet, who became High Sheriff of Durham in 1848. Anthony Eden was born there in 1897 and later served as a cabinet minister before becoming prime minister from 1955 to 1957. The estate was then used as a prisoner of war camp for female German prisoners during the Second World War. Afterwards it was adapted by the council to serve as a school for youngsters with emotional and behavioural difficulties for nearly 50 years, between 1957 and 2006. Windlestone Hall School added an unlisted extension to the building in the seventies, but was forced to relocate several years ago after the hall fell into disrepair. A buyer then became interested in developing the land for luxury flats, but the deal fell through and the house has only now been sold to an unnamed buyer, who plans to restore it to its former splendour.

The 25-acre grounds contain stables and staff quarters . Boasts billiard room, library and original fireplaces . It was used as a POW camp during World War II .

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By . David Kent . Steven Gerrard admits he is delighted Roy Hodgson went with youth for his England World Cup squad because it means he can conserve his energy more. Gerrard, speaking on ITV ahead of the Champions League final where Real Madrid beat Atletico 4-1, is happy the likes of Luke Shaw, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling have been called up for Brazil, as he approaches his 34th birthday. The Liverpool skipper was also greeted in the studio by former team-mate Xabi Alonso, who was suspended for the Champins League final for Real Madrid. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Steven Gerrard: It's up to senior players to shoulder pressure . Pals: The suspended Xabi Alonso (left) comes into the studio to greet former team-mate Gerrard . Celebration: But Steven Gerrard is ready to call time on his international career after this summer's World Cup . 'The team and the squad is full of legs and energy which is good for me coming up to my 34th birthday,' he said. 'We've been together for four or five days, but it is good, hopefully it is going to build and get better the closer the games come about, but winning football matches builds spirit too. The England skipper admits disappointments in previous campaigns make him hungry for success going into his sixth major tournament, and what will possible be his last. Running men: England stars Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck, Ross Barkley, James Milner and Steven Gerrard . Putting the work in: Gerrard and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are put through their paces . 'I think the frustrations of not delivering of not delivering as a team and on a personal front on a few of these occassions, it gives you that determination with your head held high to make the supporters happy, and give it one more final go.' Gerrard, who turns 34 on May 30, says Roy Hodgson will be looking to play the team in his mind for the first World Cup game against Italy on June 14 in the upcoming friendlies Peru, Ecuador and Honduras. 'With three games to go before the big game he's going to be looking toward the team he's starting in his first game. I'm sure he'll try one or two tweaks though.' Big call: Manager Roy Hodgson has put faith in two of his most experienced performers to lead this summer . Gerrard, when asked if he'd like to avoid Argentina in the World Cup with Angel Di Maria putting in such a fine performance, said the Real Madrid man is relentless. 'Of course you know Real Madrid are littered with top quality players, we talk of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo, but Di Maria was relentless all game, kept attacking the full-back, for me he was man of the match,' he said. 'They got the substitutions bang on, bringing Marcelo on who was sensational.' Skipping through: Di Maria did superbly well to produce the second goal for Gareth Bale .

Gerrard happy Roy Hodgson has gone with the likes of Luke Shaw, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling . On ITV, Gerrard said: 'The team and the squad is full of legs and energy which is good for me coming up to my 34th birthday' The England skipper admits disappointments in previous campaigns make him hungry for success . Gerrard also praises Angel Di Maria for his performance in the final, with Real Madrid winning 4-1 over Atletico Madrid .

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By . Sean Poulter . PUBLISHED: . 18:20 EST, 22 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:36 EST, 23 October 2012 . It is hailed as the future of mobile phones – but the superfast 4G service will cost at least £5 a month extra, despite evidence the network is cheaper to run. Users will also have to fork out hundreds of pounds for a smartphone that can use the system, such as Apple’s iPhone 5 or Nokia’s Lumia 920. Britain’s first 4G network is being launched by EE in London and nine other cities next week. Superfast: Users will have to spend hundreds of pounds on a smartphone such as the iPhone 5 (left) and Nokia's Lumia 920 (right) if they want access to the 4G network . The 4G system allows smartphones, tablets and laptops to surf the web five times faster than the current 3G network. But the technology is so powerful that it burns through smartphone battery life, meaning handsets need to be recharged more often. EE customers who upgrade to 4G packages will pay anything from £36 to £56 a month based on the amount of data downloads they sign up for. This is some £5 a month more than they would have paid under their existing deals for a similar package. On top of that, customers must buy a . new handset – which could cost anything from £110 to £270 extra, . depending on their monthly subscription and subsidy available under . their contract. The 4G . technology makes it possible to squeeze more data into a smaller slice . of the airwaves, which makes it cheaper to transmit vast amounts of . information compared with 3G. Consequently, 4G actually costs less to . run on a day-to-day basis. The 4G system allows smartphones, tablets and laptops to suft the web five times faster than the current 3G network . But EE – an amalgamation of the Orange and T-Mobile networks – insists its decision to charge more is justified. Spokesman David Nieberg said: ‘There is a small premium that customers will pay for using a superfast network, one that is five times faster than 3G. In all other markets around the world, consumers are paying a premium to access 4G. ‘We think what is effectively a £5 premium is incredibly competitive.’ EE effectively has a monopoly over the 4G technology until its rivals can launch services in the second half of next year. EE justified the higher cost by saying it is investing huge sums in setting up the 4G network. A spokesman said: ‘We have been, and continue, to invest £1.5bn over the three years – that’s £1.4m per day – to create a new digital backbone for Britain.’ The firm confirmed that 4G does drain batteries, however it said handset manufacturers are partly negating this through developing bigger batteries and more efficient software.

Users will also have to spend hundreds on new handsets . 4G system runs five times faster than current 3G network . EE insists price hike is justified and that the 'premium' is competitive .

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By . Ap Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:52 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:11 EST, 9 December 2013 . Disgraced former San Diego mayor Bob Filner was sentenced Monday to three months of home confinement and three years of probation for harassing women while in office . The decision completed the fall of the former 10-term congressman who barely a year ago achieved his long dream of being elected leader of the nation's eighth-largest city. Filner, who resigned amid widespread allegations of sexual harassment, pleaded guilty in October to one felony and two misdemeanors for placing a woman in a headlock, kissing another woman and grabbing the buttocks of a third. Scroll down for video... Say cheese: Filner, here smiling at his defense team at his Monday sentencing, pleaded not guilty to harassment charges after a drawn out public humiliation saw the former congressman accused by nearly 20 women. Now he'll walk away without serving any jail time . Superior Court Judge Robert Trentacosta's sentence was the same as what prosecutors recommended in a plea agreement with Filner. The 71-year-old former mayor faced a maximum penalty of three years in prison for the felony and one year in jail for each misdemeanor. The judge specified the Filner may not seek or hold elective office during the term of his probation. 'I want to apologize to my family who have stood by me through this ordeal, to my loyal staff and supporters, to the citizens of San Diego and, most sincerely, to the women who I have hurt and offended,' he said, according to UT San Diego. He continued: 'To all of you I make the . same promise that I made to my family, to earn back your trust and my . integrity no matter how long it takes and what I have to do.' Still smiling? Irene McCormack Jackson and attorney Gloria Allred walk to attend Filner's sentencing. Jackson, 57, the one-time communications director for Filner . Accusers: They included the first to publicly point the finger at Filner, Irene McCormack Jackson (center); Michelle Tyler, a nurse who claims Filner made inappropriate advances on her while she was seeking help for a disabled Marine (left) and great-grandmother Peggy Shannon (right) Sentenced: Filner, here at his sentencing, must serve 90 days home confinement, three years probation, and undergo mental health treatment . He also claimed to have become a changed man since the harassment incidents: . 'The letters submitted to this court by my family show the progress that they have already seen, . 'Certainly the behaviors before this court today will never be repeated. And I am confident that I will come out of this a better person and I look forward to making further contributions to the city I love.' Filner, who is divorced, was convicted of felony false imprisonment for restraining a woman against her will at a fund-raiser on March 6 and applying additional force when she resisted. His attorney, Jerry Coughlan, has said it was a headlock. The misdemeanor counts of battery . were for kissing a woman on the lips without permission at a ‘Meet the . Mayor’ event on April 6 and grabbing another woman's buttocks at a May . 25 rally to clean up Fiesta Island in Mission Bay. None of the victims . have been identified. Nearly . 20 women have publicly identified themselves as targets of Filner's . unwanted advances, including kissing, groping and requests for dates. His accusers include a retired Navy rear admiral, a San Diego State . University dean and a great-grandmother who volunteers answering senior . citizens' questions at City Hall. The . charges do not involve Filner's former communications director, Irene . McCormack Jackson, who expedited the mayor's downfall by becoming the . first to go public with sexual harassment allegations in July. She has . filed a lawsuit against Filner and the city, claiming her boss asked her . to work without panties, demanded kisses, told her he wanted to see her . naked and dragged her in a headlock while whispering in her ear. Another victim: Bronwyn Ingram, former fiance of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, broke things off after three years with Filner days before news of his scandal broke . Filner . disappeared from public view after leaving office Aug. 30, less than . nine months into a four-year term. He said little when he resurfaced six . weeks later to plead guilty in San Diego Superior Court, but his . attorney told reporters then that the former mayor ‘profusely . apologizes’ for his behavior. The former mayor devoted himself to jogging, getting therapy and talking to friends after leaving office, his attorney said in October. Television news crews hoping for a glimpse of Filner were disappointed when he showed up at jail a day earlier than expected for booking. Filner was elected San Diego's first Democratic mayor in 20 years, promising to put neglected neighborhoods ahead of entrenched downtown business interests. Two city councilmen seeking to replace him in a special election runoff — Republican Kevin Faulconer and Democrat David Alvarez — have embraced Filner's neighborhoods-first mantra while scarcely mentioning the former mayor by name. Kept coming: Local businesswoman Dianne York became the 18th woman to come forward with accusations against Filner when she spoke at this news conference in August . Range of claims: Charges against Filner ranged from false imprisonment to groping. Great-grandmother Peggy Shannon repeatedly asked her to rub his hands, requested dates and made sexually suggestive comments . 'Freedom from Filner': Filner's public flogging was a conspicuous end to what had been a long political career. The 10-term congressman had a long-held dream of running San Diego, but the dream turned bitter after only about a year .

Bob Filner was disgraced after nearly 20 women came forward to accuse him of unwanted advances, including kissing, groping and asking for dates . Filner is a former 10-term congressman who represented California's 51st district . Under the plea deal, Filner must also surrender a part of his pension, undergo mental health treatment and may never run for office again . Photos from his sentencing show a care free Filner sharing a laugh with his defense team .

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By . Craig Mackenzie . PUBLISHED: . 11:57 EST, 7 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:57 EST, 7 December 2013 . An uninhabited Outer Hebridean island that was home to both Bonnie Prince Charlie and Hercules the bear has been sold for over £500,000. Estate agents confirmed that an offer above the asking price has been accepted for Wiay, which lies off the coast of South Uist. The deal is expected to be concluded this week. A number of overseas bidders were also interested, but it has been sold to an un-named Scot. The 970-acre island of Wiay: It has been uninhabited for over a century . The . island boasts the cave in which Bonnie Prince Charlie, the leader of . the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, concealed himself for several days while . being sought by British government forces. It was also a brief home for Hercules the bear who famously went missing on Benbecula in 1980 while filming a TV advert. The . island has been uninhabited for over a century, although the current . owners - the Chettle family from England, who bought it in 2003 - used . it for holidays and summer camping. But the new owners will not have to . make do with life underground or under canvas. A . ruined croft, which was once home to ten islanders, was recently given . planning permission for a new home that will provide spectacular views . of the island's surroundings. The hideout used by Bonnie Prince Charlie following the Battle of Culloden in 1745 was put up for sale earlier this month . Western . Isles Councillors approved the renovation into a two bedroom lodge . despite the recommendation for refusal by planning officers. Archie Melville of selling agents Bell Ingram, said: 'We had a lot of interest - including from overseas. "It . total we had about half-a-dozen serious parties and an offer in excess . of the asking price has been accepted. We expect the deal to be . concluded this coming week - certainly before Christmas. 'The new owner is a Scot with roots in the area. He knows what owning an island in Scotland involves - and it is not a whim. The island also has sporting rights, and in recent years the land has been used for woodcock and duck shooting. There is also red deer stalking and fishing . 'An . area of land with as much history and beauty as the Island of Wiay does . not come up on the market very often. 'It has a fantastic back story, . once being the hidey-hole for Bonnie Prince Charlie, which is paralleled . by the stunning views of the surrounding Benbecula and South Uist . islands, making it the ideal location for those looking to totally . escape the rat race.' The . 970-acre island also has sporting rights, and in recent years the land . has been used for woodcock and duck shooting. There is also red deer . stalking and fishing. Located . half a mile south-east of Benbecula, Wiay is accessed by private boat . from Petersport to a sheltered bay close to the ruined cottage on the . west side of the island. Famous visitor: Hercules with owner Maggie Robin. The bear made the island its home briefly when it got lost on Benbecula filming an advert there . Wiay from the air. The island has been uninhabited for over a century, although the current owners - the Chettle family from England, who bought it in 2003 - used it for holidays and summer camping . Bonnie Prince Charlie eventually sought shelter in this cave on Wiay, now known as 'Prince Charlie's Rest', while his followers kept watch for the British navy . The prince eventually obtained passage to France and escaped, pledging to his remaining followers that he would return with an army . The . island is predominately heather clad, with a small number of freshwater . lochs, rising to 335ft at Beinn a'Tuath. But it is best known for . playing its part in the escape of the prince following the defeat of his . Jacobite forces at Culloden in 1746. In . 1745, Charles travelled to the Highlands to raise the Scottish clans in . rebellion against the current British monarch - King George II, of the . house of Hanover. His plan was to make his father James Stuart, the 'Old Pretender', king. But . after Culloden, he fled west and was transported to the Outer Hebrides . by boat in an eight-hour voyage in atrocious conditions. He eventually . sought shelter in a cave on Wiay, now known as "Prince Charlie's Rest", . while his followers kept watch for the British navy. He was brought . fresh clothing and it appears this was the first time the prince wore . Highland dress. Prince . Charles spent the next few weeks in hiding, employing several disguises. He lived like a commoner and ate drammach, a type of oatmeal mixed raw . with seawater. After two months on the run, he met Flora MacDonald on . South Uist and a plan was hatched to return him to Skye and then to the . mainland. The Prince was disguised as Flora's "Irish Maid" - "Betty . Burke" - and they made the famous journey by rowing boat to Skye, . evading capture on the way. Home sweet home: The island was sold for the price of a London semi . MacDonald . then aided the prince in his escape to Portree, where they parted . company never to meet again. After several more weeks in hiding, the . prince obtained passage to France and escaped, pledging to his remaining . followers that he would return with an army. Wiay . since slipped back into obscurity. One former resident, William Buie, . left the island in 1825 to become a banker in Canada. Although the . island was logged as having six inhabitants in 1861, it was deserted by . the turn of the 20th century.

Wiay, off the coast of South Uist, bought by unnamed Scot . It is where Bonnie Prince Charlie hid after his defeat at Culloden . Uninhabited for over . a century, the current owners used it only for holidays . The new owner has links with area and is not buying island ' on a whim'

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Muammar Gadaffi bedded at least four women just hours before meeting Prince Andrew for trade talks, it was claimed today. The Libyan dictator had a voracious sexual appetite and was so addicted to anti-impotence Viagra pills a nurse told him to cut down his intake. The sordid world of the despot who was killed last month in the country's uprising, has been revealed by his manservant of seven years. Voracious: Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi lived a life of extravagance and sexual addiction . Faisal, a young chef, cooked Andrew a 'traditional' dinner of tabouli, hummus and couscous when the prince met the Arab leader at the villa of one of his female friends. Later Andrew, who's office has confirmed he dined with Gadaffi in November 2008, told Faisal it was the finest meal he had ever had and posed for a picture with him. Trade ambassador: Prince Andrew had a meal with Gadaffi in 2008 . The aide, now 29, said the royal trade ambassador discussed relations between Libya and Britain and an oil contract. What Andrew was unaware of was Gaddafi's penchant for young women - many of whom were his bodyguards, according to Faisal. He said: There were four or sometimes five women each day. They had just become a habit to Gadaffi. 'They would go into his bedroom, he would have his way with them and then he would come out like he had just blown his nose.' Faisal, on leave from prison for the Muslim holiday of Eid, became friends with the bodyguards who were known as the 'Nuns of the Revolution'. He told the Sunday Times: They all had sex with Gadaffi. The more canny of them became wealthy from his gifts of villas or large sums of cash.' Faisal claimed that some of the women he bedded suffered so badly 'they went immediately from his bedroom to the hospital' to be treated for internal injuries. His addiction to Viagra, said the aide, was so extensive that his Ukrainian nurse urged to him to reduce the number of pills he swallowed every day. Gadaffi picked up victims at his former alma mater, Tripoli University, where he gave lectures and then led the young women to a nearby room whose only furniture was a double bed. Faisal claimed that another aide was once sent to a sex district of Paris, to buy a machine that Gadaffi used to apparently lengthen his penis. The despot was vain about his looks and demanded the aide dye his hair,  cover up his baldness and use make-up and treatments with green tea to hide his wrinkles. Faisal, who became a favourite of the dictator with his own house and car, sprayed a French-made lotion on the front of Gadaffi's head so his receding hairline would not be obvious. The aide was forced to be his servant after death threats were made against his family unless he obeyed. Faisal was captured by anti-Gadaffi forces but is unlike to be charged.

Aide who dyed dictator's hair claims: 'He would have his way with them like he had just blown his nose' Libyan leader was addicted to sex and Viagra pills .

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(CNN) -- Scientifically, can happiness be an advantage? Some people think if you are happy, you are blind to reality. But when we research it, happiness actually raises every single business and educational outcome for the brain. How did we miss this? Why do we have these societal misconceptions about happiness? Because we assumed you were average. When we study people, scientists are often interested in what the average is. If we study what is merely average, we will remain merely average. Many people think happiness is genetic. That's only half the story, because the average person does not fight their genes. When we stop studying the average and begin researching positive outliers -- people who are above average for a positive dimension like optimism or intelligence -- a wildly different picture emerges. Our daily decisions and habits have a huge impact upon both our levels of happiness and success. Watch Shawn Achor's TED video to hear about this research . Scientifically, happiness is a choice. It is a choice about where your single processor brain will devote its finite resources as you process the world. If you scan for the negative first, your brain literally has no resources left over to see the things you are grateful for or the meaning embedded in your work. But if you scan the world for the positive, you start to reap an amazing advantage. See also: When losing your job is a positive . Now that there is research validity to these claims, the working world is starting to take notice. In January, I wrote the cover story for the Harvard Business Review magazine on "Happiness Leads to Profits." Based on my article called "Positive Intelligence" and my research in The Happiness Advantage, I outlined our researched conclusion: the single greatest advantage in the modern economy is a happy and engaged workforce. A decade of research in the business world proves that happiness raises nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%, as well as a myriad of health and quality-of-life improvements. Given the unprecedented level of unhappiness at companies and the direct link between happiness and business outcomes, the question is NOT whether happiness should matter to companies. Given this research, it clearly should. The first question is: What can I do in my own life to reap the advantage of happiness? See also: Ambition could make you rich, but not happy . Training your brain to be positive at work is just like training your muscles at the gym. Sounds simple, right? Well, think about how easy it is to make yourself go to the gym. The key with any new resolution is to make it a habit. New research on neuroplasticity -- the ability of the brain to change even as an adult -- reveals that moderate actions can rewire the brain as you create "life habits." In The Happiness Advantage, I challenge readers to do one brief positive exercise every day for 21 days. Only through behavioral change can information become transformation. • Write down three new things you are grateful for each day; . • Write for two minutes a day describing one positive experience you had over the past 24 hours; . • Exercise for 10 minutes a day; . • Meditate for two minutes, focusing on your breath going in and out; . • Write one quick email first thing in the morning thanking or praising someone in your social support network (family member, friend, old teacher). But does it work? In the midst of the worst tax season in history I did a three-hour intervention at auditing and tax accounting firm KPMG, describing how to reap the happiness advantage by creating one of these positive habits. Four months later, there was a 24% improvement in job and life satisfaction. Not only is change possible, this is one of the first long-term ROI (return on investment) studies proving that happiness leads to long-term quantifiable positive change. In a study I performed on 1,600 Harvard students in 2007, I found that there was a 0.7 correlation between perceived social support and happiness. This is higher than the connection between smoking and cancer. So if in the modern world we give up our social networks to work away from friends and follow celebrities on Twitter, we are trading off with our happiness and health. Following up, I switched around the questions and asked how much social support employees provided (instead of received). The results were off the charts. Those high on provision of social support are 10 times more engaged at work and have a 40% higher likelihood of promotion over the next four years. In other words, giving at the office gets you more than receiving. The greatest cultural myth in modern society is that we cannot change. My research proves that you can not only become more positive, but if you prioritize happiness in the present, you can reap an extraordinary advantage. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Shawn Achor.

The greatest advantage in the economy is a happy workforce, argues Shawn Achor . Achor says if you scan the world for the positive, you start to reap an advantage . He explains how to train your brain to be positive at work .

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Lima, Peru (CNN) -- Daisy Cuevas suddenly became an international celebrity after touching on a hot topic during Michelle Obama's visit to her school last week. "My mom says that Barack Obama is taking away everybody that doesn't have papers," the 7-year-old said to the first lady during her visit to the girl's school in Maryland. "Yeah, well that's something that we have to work on, right? To make sure that people can be here with the right kind of papers, right? That's exactly right," Obama replied. "But my mom doesn't have any," Daisy said. The episode transformed Daisy into a symbol of illegal immigration in the United States and prompted Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue a statement dismissing rumors about an imminent deportation. "We have not had an encounter with her, she is not in our custody and we have no indications that she is going through removal proceedings," the statement said. Thousands of miles away, in Peru's capital, unaware of the incident, was Yuly Cuevas, Daisy's 9-year-old sister. Yuly lives in Lima with her grandparents Genaro and Natividad since her mom left the country eight years ago in search of a better life. Read about Yuly on CNNMexico Just as her sister is at the school in Maryland, Yuly is also a celebrity among her peers at the Lima school. "They tell me: There is a girl exactly like you on television," says Yuly, who is two years older than Daisy but who bears a strong physical resemblance to her sibling. Yuly says it is "incredible" that her sister spoke with the first lady and she agrees with what she said because "even though she hadn't talked, they would have realized anyway that my mom did not have papers." Interestingly, her mother studied in the same public school Yuly attends but could not graduate because she became pregnant. When her daughter was 18 months old and she was expecting a second child, the mother made the tough decision to leave her child behind with family in Peru and immigrate to the United States to work as a maid for a Peruvian family. Initially, she had a companion visa to work legally in the country, but after it expired, she stayed in the U.S., according to her family. Genaro, the girls' grandfather, makes a living as a cabdriver. "When the news broke, she [daughter Natalia] called me in tears, saying what trouble her daughter had caused her and wondering what she would do if she were deported back to Peru," Genaro says. He and his wife, Natividad, have mixed feelings; they fear their daughter will be deported, but they are also proud of the support that Daisy has gathered. Natividad, who sells fruit in her doorstep, recalls that when Daisy visited Lima last year to meet her Peruvian relatives they were impressed about how curious and talkative she was. "She has been very smart ... That's why she asked that. Why did she think in that moment to speak about my daughter not having papers? Maybe because her mommy or daddy have talked about it," Natividad says. According to the grandparents, Daisy's parents have decided that if they are deported, they would bring her to Peru, even though she is a U.S. citizen, because they have no one to leave her with in the United States.

Daisy Cuevas makes news when she tells Michelle Obama her mom doesn't have papers . Daisy's older sister, Yuly, shares in the limelight at her school in Peru . The girls' mother left Peru eight years ago in search of a better life in the U.S. Girls' grandparents in Peru fear daughter's deportation, but they're proud of Daisy .

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By . Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:23 EST, 27 August 2013 . Sweet tooth: Mel Giedroyc revealed that she puts on three quarters of a stone every year when she presents the Great British Bake Off . Resisting the temptation of sweet treats can be difficult at the best of times. But if you work on a cookery programme, surrounded by freshly baked goods, it seems saying ‘no’ is almost impossible. Mel Giedroyc revealed yesterday that she puts on three quarters of a stone every year when she presents the Great British Bake Off. The 45-year-old, who hosts the culinary contest with fellow comic Sue Perkins, admitted gorging on cakes, bread and quiche. And with the aroma of up to 12 tasty offerings being baked at once in the early stages of the competition, it is easy to understand why. Miss Giedroyc said yesterday: ‘I’ve put on a good 11lb every series. The first couple of episodes it’s, “No thank you, not for me”. 'Cut to the semi-final and we’re hoofing up whole quiches.’ In an interview with the Radio Times, she revealed the BBC2 show’s production team had invested in heated belts to prevent judge Mary Berry from getting too cold, but added that the devices helped to ‘keep your stomach in’. The programme, which is in its fourth series, is recorded in a tent in the grounds of Harptree Court, Somerset, and was last year marred by terrible weather, forcing the crew to come up with inventive ways of dealing with the cold. Miss Giedroyc said: ‘When we first started filming, in April, it was freezing so our main concern was to keep Mary Berry warm. She had four thermal layers on and two water bottles down the trousers. Team: Miss Giedroyc is pictured with her fellow Bake Off presenters Paul Hollywood (bottom left), Mary Berry (bottom right) and Sue Perkins (top left) ‘This year we discovered these marvellous heated belts called “hot trusses”. I was a big fan. They keep your stomach in as well, which is useful as the series goes on.’ They are stodgy and sticky and most definitely not for dieters. Thanks to the recession, old-fashioned puds like jam roly-poly are back on the menu at mealtimes. Demand for school dinner-style dishes has rocketed as families turn to comfort over style – driven by our economic woes and the latest restaurant trends for retro desserts. A report by Trade magazine The Grocer yesterday revealed that sales of traditional puddings like spotted dick have climbed 42 per cent in a year. The latest data on the UK’s £169million a year hot puds market shows that bread and butter pudding is up 15.2 per cent while crumbles have enjoyed growth of 13.2 per cent. Supermarket chain Asda has seen a 9.4 per cent rise in sales of puddings. The Grocer said: ‘Billy Bunter would be proud. Britain is rediscovering the kind of traditional, school dinner-style puddings that gave him his figure. Downturn-driven nostalgia and comfort-eating are clearly playing their part.’ Paul Watmore, of food manufacturer Ambrosia, said ‘proper puddings’ are emotionally satisfying in a way that a yoghurt can never be. Miss Berry, 78, revealed another downside to sampling food on the show, saying she has grown sick of cake. But she need not worry about the impact on her waistline, for she chooses clothes that are extra roomy to allow for layering. She was praised for her style when she wore a Zara floral bomber jacket last year, but writing in the Mail yesterday, she said she only chose it because there was ‘lots of room under there for warm layers’. ‘I get immensely cold while filming as the wind blows through the break in the side of the tent, so the crew always get me long-sleeved thermal underwear,’ she said. Not only that – she also keeps two hand warmers in her jeans back pockets.

Mel Giedroyc, 45, presents Great British Bake Off with comic Sue Perkins . Says she puts on weight when surrounded by tasty offerings being baked . Also reveals judge Mary Berry is given heated belt to stop her getting cold .

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The day England striker Daniel Sturridge gave Graham Kitchener the runaround at football made the Leicester Tigers lock realise he should stick to rugby. Towards the end of his three years at the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy, Kitchener was given a tough time by Sturridge in a junior game against Coventry. Kitchener was 14 at the time and the experience helped him to decide that he should turn his attention to the oval ball. Leicester’s Graham Kitchener charges forward against Harlequins earlier this month . Kitchener is pushing for a Six Nations call-up after an impressive start to the season . Graham Kitchener, Rugby club: Leicester, Football club: Wolves, Football position: centre half . Jordan Crane – Leicester – Leeds United - goalkeeper . Danny Cipriani – Sale – QPR – left back . Mark Cueto – Sale – Crewe Alexandra – left wing . Marland Yarde – Harlequins – QPR – centre midfield . Danny Care –Harlequins – Sheffield Wednesday - striker . Alex Goode – Saracens – Ipswich – centre midfield . David Strettle – Saracens – Manchester City – right wing . Dom Barrow - Newcastle - Manchester United – centre half . The decision paid off and the 6ft 6in and 19st forward is currently knocking on the door for a Six Nations call-up. However, there was a time when he seemed more likely to pursue a career as a centre half, rather than a second-row. ‘I flirted with football for a couple of years,’ said Kitchener. ‘At Wolves, we went on tour and played against teams like Arsenal and Manchester United. ‘I played against Sturridge when I was 14. I was marking him — or trying to! As you’d expect, he wasn’t a bad player and was a pretty big unit back in the day. 'He gave a few of us the runaround, but at the time you didn’t really appreciate what he would go on to achieve.’ Sturridge now earns around £150,000 a week, while salaries in rugby are a relative drop in the ocean. But Kitchener recognised the slim chances involved with pursuing football’s mega-bucks and instead completed his A-levels and signed for Worcester Warriors. Daniel Sturridge gave Kitchener the runaround during an academy game between Wolves and Coventry . Out of his academy age-group at Wolves, only Elliott Bennett went on to play in the Premier League as most failed to make the cut in an extremely competitive market. But doors to the senior ranks opened quickly when Kitchener turned his focus to rugby. ‘I realised I was a bit more suited to the rugby environment with my size and that kind of thing,’ said Kitchener. ‘There were a few transferable skills — we focused a lot on agility and speed over a short distance, which always helps. Kitchener has no regrets turning his back on football to pursue a career in rugby . ‘We would train about three times a week at Wolves — it was tough, but not a lot of people made it so I didn’t see a massive future in the game.’ Kitchener is not the only ex-footballer to make the switch. As with a hard-hitting forward, natural size and strength is a valuable asset for a goalkeeper or defender. Jordan Crane and Joe Launchbury are both former keepers who went on to play in the pack, while Dom Barrow and Kitchener were centre halves who joined rugby’s heavies in the tight-five. Physicality is not such an important asset in the back-line and some of England Rugby’s most skilful playmakers have backgrounds as wing backs, midfielders and strikers. Saracens full back Alex Goode is one of the most intelligent readers of the game — previously he conducted play as a central midfielder for Ipswich Town. Harlequins star Danny Care used to play as a strike for Sheffield Wednesday before switching to rugby . Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care is known for his ability to snipe around the fringes of the breakdown and he used to run lines through the defence as a nippy striker for Sheffield Wednesday. Similarly, Danny Cipriani, Marland Yarde, David Strettle and Mark Cueto all played further up the field in football before becoming astute backs in rugby. At Welford Road, Kitchener is often seen breaking clear of defenders, in a way you would not expect from a man of his size. His footwork and quick change of balance helps keep defenders guessing and his form has earned him a consistent run in Leicester’s starting XV. Director of rugby Richard Cockerill has rotated his squad for tonight’s Champions Cup tie against Scarlets, with Kitchener on the bench alongside England hooker Tom Youngs and Wales hopeful Owen Williams. Kitchener is aiming high and has targeted a first cap for England . But Kitchener has international ambitions. After playing for the Saxons and being called up as injury cover for the November Tests, he is now hoping to go one better and win his first cap. ‘I loved being involved in the autumn and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it,’ said Kitchener. ‘The reality is there are a lot of quality second-rows around England at the moment, so I just have to see how it goes.’

Graham Kitchener played against footballer Daniel Sturridge at youth level . Leicester Tigers lock admits England striker gave him the runaround . Kitchener decided to quit football to focus his efforts on rugby instead .

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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 12:22 EST, 10 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:09 EST, 10 June 2013 . Three men who raided 45 homes across the South East of England and stole £25,000 from elderly people in just six months have been jailed. Patrick Cawley, his brother John Cawley and James Boyle pretended to be police officers to trick their way into the pensioners' homes. In all cases they would flash a fake police warrant card before telling their victims they had arrested someone for a burglary in the area and that they needed to check if anything had been stolen from their homes. Patrick Cawley and his brother John Cawley have both been jailed after carrying out a string of burglaries . While the elderly person was distracted, one of the men would rifle through their belongings and steal cash and valuables. The con artists targeted vulnerable people in their 80s and 90s who lived alone and often suffered from health issues. Their oldest victims were two men aged 99. Hertfordshire Police were forced to launch Operation Manhunt which was led by a specialist unit set up to investigate distraction burglary and crimes against the elderly. Between January 2012 and July 2012, more than £25,000 was stolen from victims in Hertfordshire, Essex, Warwickshire, London, Surrey, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. James Boyle was sentenced to eight years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit distraction burglary . The men were finally caught in July 2012 trying to escape from a home in Waltham Cross after a neighbour called police when she saw the burglars acting suspiciously. They were jailed at St Albans Crown Court. Patrick Cawley, 54, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit distraction burglary and was sentenced to six years eight months imprisonment. He was also issued with an Asbo which stops him from being in the same company as James Boyle or John Cawley. John Cawley, 51, of Kings Cross Road, in London, was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment after pleading guilty to commit distraction burglary and was handed an Asbo. James Boyle, 39, of Tookey Close, Harrow, north-west London, was sentenced to eight years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit distraction burglary and was given an Asbo. Speaking after the case one of his victims, who wished not to be named, said: 'The burglary destroyed my confidence. 'I thought they had come to my door to tell me bad news about my son and of course once they’d got in that was it. 'It destroys your confidence and it makes you nervous, I don’t know who to trust. I keep the chain on the door now. I do appreciate the support I have had from the police.' The three men were sentenced at St Albans Crown Court after raiding 45 homes in the South East of England stealing £25,000 from elderly people . Detective Sergeant Mark Clawson, from Operation Manhunt, said: 'These men thought they were untouchable and thought that by travelling the country they would evade police, but they were wrong. 'By the time of their arrest we had already linked the majority of their crimes and were close to identifying them. 'These ruthless criminals left a trail of destruction behind them, often leaving their victims feeling extremely vulnerable and unable to continue living independently at home. 'In some cases the victims’ health has severely deteriorated as a direct result of the incident.'

Patrick Cawley, John Cawley and James Boyle pretended to be police officers to trick their way into the homes . The con artists targeted elderly people in their 80s and 90s . All three have been jailed at St Albans Crown Court .

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(CNN) -- As a swimmer, his countless hours of training paid off handsomely -- earning him a record 18 Olympic gold medals. As a golfer, Michael Phelps is wondering what he's got himself into. "It's one of the most humbling games I've tried to do in my entire life," the American tells CNN. "I could always pick things up fairly easily, but I don't get how hitting a little object -- a little white ball, that isn't moving -- is so hard. "Why can't I just hit this in a straight line? Or hook it, or draw it, or fade it -- I can't do it. I'm finally learning how to be able to do all that stuff and do it consistently. But I still do have some pretty bad shots." Have a quick look online and you'll find Phelps hurling his driver away in disgust after embarrassingly topping his tee shot at the home of golf, St. Andrews in Scotland. "Throwing clubs, using profanity -- everything comes out," Phelps says. But there are some moments of magic, such as when -- as a 26 handicapper -- he sank a monster 150-foot putt at the Dunhill Links pro-am in Scotland last October. However, golf requires both power and precision -- which Phelps, who was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child, is slowly learning to combine. "He's one of those players that people would look at and say, 'He has a lot of potential.' What that technically means is that the player is very long and very wild," says Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney, who has been tutoring Phelps in the latest series of his television show The Haney Project. "They never look at someone who hits it a very short distance and say, 'Oh you've got a lot of potential.' They always comment on the potential someone has as based solely on the distance of their hitting." Haney has some history in shaping unpredictable talents, having previously worked with former basketballer Charles Barkley and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard among his celebrity TV clients. "Michael is 6'4 but he has a 6'8 wingspan, so his arms are very long. Because of that he has a pretty long, loose swing," Haney tells CNN. "It's capable of generating a lot of power ... That's been the biggest challenge, to get his swing better so he can control it a bit." Haney says Phelps is "definitely getting better" after carding true hackers' scores of between 97 and 117 in six rounds immediately after the London 2012 Olympics -- where he took his career tally to a record 22 medals. "His No. 1 goal after the Olympics was to learn how to play golf and be decent at it," Haney says. "I think he's passionate about it. It's nice to have someone like Michael Phelps interested in the game, it's great for golf." "Baltimore Bullet" Golf is not only giving the 27-year-old Phelps a new hobby (if not quite a new career) -- it is also extending his commercial sell-by date. While he's not in the $250 million league that Nike reportedly paid to sign up golf's new star Rory McIlroy, the "Baltimore Bullet" has already landed a club deal with Ping. "Ping is a well-established global brand that should be able to deliver Phelps with huge international exposure," says British sports business expert Simon Chadwick. "Phelps, meanwhile, provides Ping with a brand association that has a strong track-record of success at the very highest level. "That said, this is a somewhat strange alliance that would be appear to be fraught with difficulty. It doesn't make instant sense, and quite what the tangible returns will be to both parties isn't necessarily obvious. "If there is no expectation that Phelps will become a professional golfer, the Ping deal tends rather to imply that this is short-term opportunism -- unless, of course, the relaunch and rebranding of Phelps as a global sport or leisure brand starts here. "If the Phelps brand in golf is to have any sustainable future, he needs to start delivering the kind of performances that fans and consumers will be looking for." Chinese 12 year-old to make history . Haney doubts that Phelps will be able to make it as a pro golfer, citing the very few examples of sports stars who've been able to switch to the game -- and most of those have been on the seniors circuit. "The possibility is there, but golf seems to take more time than any other sport -- there's so much to learn and so much to practice. You have to dedicate full-time to golf to get there," Haney says. "It's a big difference between being a scratch golfer or two handicap and being a professional golfer. It's a whole other world," Haney adds when asked about the golfing prospects of retired tennis star Andy Roddick, who like Phelps has been hitting the celebrity pro-am circuit. New adventure . And Phelps sounds like he's enjoying his retirement too much to dedicate himself to the same punishing routine that saw him not miss a 6.30 a.m training session for six years -- as Haney was informed by his protege's former swim coach. "I've been saying a lot more recently about how great it is to be retired," says Phelps. "I can wake up at 10 in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, read the newspaper. "If I feel like hitting a couple of golf balls, I hit some golf balls. I really just hang out, and it's awesome. "At this point I'm really just trying to enjoy the sport, learn the sport, and be able to beat all of my friends who I go out and play with." However, Haney is in no doubt that Phelps is committed to his new adventure. "The crossover is the work ethic that he has -- he knows what it takes to be great in sports," the 57-year-old coach says. "He's used to being coached, that makes it easier for me. In golf you have to be coached, no-one just knows how to do it. In order for that to happen, you like to have someone that's used to taking coaching." For someone who has coached 14-time major winner Woods, the goals of a novice like Phelps ("He's thinking pro-ams and playing amateur golf. He'd love to win a club championship one day") bring Haney back full circle in his career. "Tiger was my last student and I had determined that when I started with Tiger, I said he's going to be the last touring pro that I have," says Haney, who wrote a book detailing his six years working with the biggest name in modern golf. "I taught touring pros for 32 years and I enjoyed it. It was incredible, a lot of great experiences, but 32 years was enough for me -- I taught over 200 touring pros. It was time for me to do something different. And where do you go from Tiger Woods?" Twitter tips . Apart from his TV show, Haney is now focused on his corporate work, his International Junior Golf Academy based at Hilton Head, South Carolina -- and taking the game to the people. "Golf's been awful good to me, I have no problems doing that, I'm very thankful to the game of golf," says Haney, who is an active presence on Twitter, giving away tips to anyone who contacts him -- much to the chagrin of some of his peers. "Last year I did clinics for over 15,000 people, so I feel like through Twitter and doing the clinics I'm much more able to reach a larger audience and giving back to the game a little bit. "I enjoy being a top instructor who is willing and able to do those things." He says his junior academy, which has almost 150 students from 22 countries, is not necessarily seeking to unearth the next Tiger Woods. "I'm really proud of the fact that the kids don't just learn golf but they have a great education. Every kid from our academy last year went to college, 94% of them got scholarships. I really enjoy seeing how much they grow as people from being in our academy."

Record-breaking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is trying to become a golfer . He was tutored by Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney for a TV series . Haney says the 27-year-old's golf game is "very long and very wild" Phelps admits his frustrations at learning "the most humbling" of sports .

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(CNN) -- Greece's elections this weekend could trigger the country's exit from the euro -- but even that might not save Europe from splintering, the head of insurance giant AXA has warned. Henri de Castries told CNN "a Greek exit won't solve everything," adding the problems in Europe are "more complex than that." De Castries, a fan of Greek mythology, believes a Greek exit would be akin to opening a Pandora's box. "Opening the box is very tempting before and very disastrous afterwards," he said. De Castries said there were "flaws" in the construction of the euro which have created the cracks. "It was a case of putting the cart before the horse," he said. "Economic policies were not converging enough and the disciplines were not strong enough to allow for a stable position in the long run." The worst-case scenario, according to de Castries, would be a disorderly default by Greece leading to its collapse out of the euro. Further, Italy and Spain could suffer bank runs that could exacerbate the bloc's pain. However, such an outcome could be avoided should a moderate party win a majority in the Greek elections, securing the country's future in the eurozone, he said. De Castries points to the Spanish banking crisis as one which must be resolved so Europe can allay concerns about the strength of its firewalls. "We need to be sure that we don't just have the fire brigade," he said, "but that water is coming out of the pipe. The Spanish case is a good test for that." AXA, the second-biggest insurer in Europe, has been offloading its investments in Greek debt -- at a 78% write-down -- and no longer buys Italian and Spanish debt, as it seeks to distance itself from the deepening crisis. De Castries said the company's investment portfolio is being kept diverse: "We have approximately 80% of our assets in bonds, of which half or a little less are in sovereign bonds. The other half is in corporate bonds and 20% are in other asset classes such as equities and real estate," he added. CNN's Anna Stewart contributed to this article .

Eurozone's economic troubles are too complex to be solved by a Greek exit, says AXA CEO . Henri de Castries says the insurer is keen to diversify its investments . There are flaws in the construction of the euro, he says . De Castries: Bank-run in Italy and Spain is the worst-case scenario .

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With her husband still recuperating after his recent abdominal surgery, the Queen had to rely on the company of her faithful canine companions when she arrived in Scotland on holiday today. Dressed in a pink raincoat and familiar flowered headscarf, the monarch  flew up from London to Aberdeen in a private jet to begin her two-month Highland break at Balmoral Castle. This year, however, she will spend the first few weeks of her holiday alone as her 92-year-old husband is still recuperating from recent abdominal surgery. The Queen touched down at Aberdeen Airport this afternoon wearing a pink outfit . She arrived without Prince Philip who is still recuperating at Sandringham following abdominal surgery . After spending several weeks with his . wife at Windsor Castle, the 92-year-old has now moved to Sandringham, . the Queen’s private Norfolk estate, where he continues to recover. Doctors . have given him the all-clear to join the monarch but he will make his . own way up in mid-August, palace sources have revealed. ‘The Duke of Edinburgh plans to join the Queen in Balmoral in August,’ they said. Although . the Queen’s 50,000 acre private estate is remote, medics are clearly . confident that if the doughty duke does feel poorly, he can still be . swiftly treated. Indeed, . last August Philip was admitted to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for . treatment of his recurring bladder infection after falling ill at the . royal residence. Sources also confirmed that he still hoped to resume some ‘light duties’, including public engagements, later in the autumn. Philip’s . decision to move to Sandringham alone for the time being, however, . will, inevitably, spark further fears for his health. However, she was not alone as this picture shows - one of her staff carries a corgi down the steps off the plane and onto the tarmac . The corgis travel with Her Majesty to all her residences and she tries to look after them herself as much as possible given her busy schedule . He was admitted to The London Clinic last month – his fourth hospital stay in just 18 months – for an ‘exploratory operation following abdominal investigations’. A source said at the time: ‘The Duke underwent abdominal tests last week and was told a few days ago that he needed to have an exploratory operation. ‘He was admitted to hospital by arrangement and left quite calmly - and without any panic - after a garden party, where appeared in particularly good form.’ He was discharged 10 days later and announced he would take two months off from public duties to recuperate. Buckingham Palace have never revealed the results of his tests, citing medical confidentiality. Last year the Duke was twice hospitalised with a serious bladder infection during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and missed a number of key events. And at Christmas in 2011, he was rushed to hospital for emergency heart surgery after suffering a blocked artery while staying at Sandringham. Doctors fitted him with a stent to relieve the problem. Philip is already the longest-serving consort in British history and the oldest serving partner of a reigning monarch. Jet-set passengers: The Queen at Aberdeen Airport on her way to Balmoral Castle, with her corgi peeking out of the window . He has already scaled back on all but his most important patronages but still carries out more than 350 engagements a year, making him one of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family. At the moment he is the only senior member of the royal family not to have met the latest addition to the royal family, baby Prince George. Philip enjoys a particularly close relationship with his grandson, Prince William – the pair often shoot together – and it is certain the new parents will want him to meet their son as soon as possible. Yesterday neither Buckingham or Kensington Palaces could suggest when that might be, however.‘It is a private matter,’ they both said. But well-placed sources suggest the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may try to see him in Norfolk before he flies up to Scotland to join his wife. Last week the Queen revealed that she was desperate for her new great-grandson to arrive before she left to go to Balmoral. Glamorous transport: The Queen and her corgis, who are used to travelling around the country with her, arrived in style by private plane . On an engagement in the Lake District, she told schoolgirl Fay Batey: ‘I would very much like it to arrive because I'm going on holiday soon.’ Fortunately he arrived on Monday and she was able to spend 30 minutes with him at Kensington Palace on Wednesday morning. As always with the Queen, her beloved dogs went with her too - and could be seen being carried off the plane by her servants. At present the sovereign owns two Corgis: Willow and Holly (who found instant fame when they appeared in last year’s James Bond skit filmed for the opening of the London Olympics) and two Dorgis: Candy and Vulcan. The palace website say of her pets: ‘The Queen’s corgis travel with her to the various residences, with Her Majesty looking after them herself as much as possible given her busy schedule.’

92-year-old Prince Philip is still recuperating from abdominal surgery . The Queen was kept company by her beloved corgis, Willow and Holly . She will spend two months of the summer up at Balmoral Castle .

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Gerard Pique knows all about the glory of winning the Clasico, having scored in the famous 6-2 win for Barcelona in Madrid in 2009 and played in the 5-0 a year later when Jose Mourinho was humbled on his debut as a manager in the fixture. On Saturday he welcomes a new team-mate to the ‘greatest show on earth’: the high-wire artist Luis Suarez, capable of wowing the crowds, but also of falling from great heights as he did at the World Cup. ‘I don’t care if he bites,’ says Pique, speaking in English ahead of Saturday’s game. He immediately corrects himself. ‘I don’t care if he’s bitten before,’ he says. ‘He knows it’s not the correct way to behave but as a player he is in the top three or five strikers in the world so I am really happy to have him in my team.’ Pique knows Suarez will bring a toughness that has at times been missing from Barcelona’s make-up over the last two seasons. Barcelona's Gerard Pique (centre) jokes with Luis Suarez (left) and Lionel Messi (right) at training on Friday . Barcelona manager Luis Enrique (pictured, behind) confirmed Suarez is set to make his competitive debut . In 10 years of Clasicos Pique has seen tensions rise during the clashes between Barcelona and Real Madrid . ‘He is a different style of player for us. We have Andres Iniesta and Xavi and they are sweet players and you can enjoy watching them on the ball, it’s easy on the eye. Not with Suarez. He fights and scraps for the ball and finally gets the goal. In training you see that ultra-competitive streak. You can kick him and he just never goes down. You pull his shirt and he still goes towards the goal. It’s true that he had a reputation in England (for diving) but you fall once in the Premier League and it sticks. I have found him to be a very fair player.’ Pique has spent plenty of time up close and personal with the new man as Barcelona are put through their paces by Luis Enrique, the coach who is also preparing for his first clasico, as a manager at least. Pique, the joker, was never going to let last summer’s event pass without training-ground comment. ‘Of course we have been teasing him a little bit. Last week we had a defensive drill to practise dealing with crosses. He was the attacker and I had to defend against him and two or three times we were fighting to get to the ball first and I’d say, “Don’t bite me”. He just smiles.’ Those training drills have also reinforced just what a natural finisher Suarez is. ‘In training it’s unbelievable,’ says Pique. ‘He has got that instinct that means when there are two or three rebounds in the box, the ball will always end up at his feet and he’ll score.’ Suarez shared the Golden Boot last season with Cristiano Ronaldo, Pique’s former Manchester United team-mate whom he will face on Saturday and against whom he usually fares well. Pique admits that good record is in part owed to what were brilliant team performances as Barcelona reached near perfection under their greatest ever coach. Suarez has said biting is 'like an impulse' and that 'everyone has different ways of defending themselves' ‘In the first three or four years with Pep Guardiola I think we played the best football I can remember. And we took that into the games against Real Madrid,’ Pique says. ‘In the last two or three years it has been a little bit more difficult for us but now we have changed the mentality with Luis Enrique and we are pressing very high again and Suarez will definitely help that.’ To what extent the Uruguayan can help power Barcelona’s rediscovered high intensity after four months out will be tested on Saturday. ‘In those first few training sessions you could see that he needed to train because he was dead after 10 minutes of work,’ admits Pique. ‘I would turn around and look at him and say, “What happened to you, man?” But after two or three weeks he started to improve and now, as he showed against Oman in the last friendly for Uruguay, he is in good condition.’ The spotlight will also be on Pique on Saturday. He has been left out at times this season — something that has never happened since the days of waiting in vain for Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic to pick up an injury or suspension at United. The striker is set to make his competitive debut against Real Madrid on Saturday night after a four-month ban . The Uruguayan has also said that he is in now on the 'right path' after seeking help for his impulses to bite . Pique was a world champion with Spain and a European champion with Barcelona aged just 23. ‘It’s been a strange career having hit such incredible heights so soon. It’s not a strange career, it’s a very good career,’ he says. ‘And now here at Barcelona, it is the first time that I am not playing as much as I want to. It’s a big challenge.’ In 10 years of clasicos he has seen tensions rise during the clashes between Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, and fall since their departure. ‘To be fair I really kind of enjoyed it,’ Pique says. ‘It is true that maybe sometimes they crossed the line. And we crossed the line, too. It is just a game. But it is fine if you know how to control your emotions and everything on the pitch stays on the pitch and after the game you still have the same friendships.’ It somewhat underlines his point that former Real Madrid player Xabi Alonso now plays for Guardiola and former Barcelona team-mate Cesc Fabregas now plays for Mourinho. ‘It’s football. One day you say you hate someone and the next day you’re playing for them,’ says Pique. ‘We have a career and we always have to try to make the best of it. Fabregas loves London and so he went to Chelsea and Mourinho was there and Mourinho likes him so he said, “OK, I will play there”.’ Pique almost says that Fabregas loves Mourinho too but the old allegiances seem to prevent him getting the whole sentence out. ‘He loves Mo . . . well, I don’t know if he loves Mourinho but I think he does because he’s putting him in the team all the time and here at Barcelona it was more difficult for him,’ he says. ‘You can see after two or three months there that he made the right decision.’ Would Pique follow Fabregas back to the Premier League if United came calling? ‘I left a lot of friends at United and I was really happy there even though I did not play as much as I wanted to,’ he says. ‘But I always said that I want to retire here and if it is possible I want to stay here all my career. At this moment I am not thinking about leaving. I am really happy if it is true that Manchester United want me but I want to stay. I have been a Barcelona fan since I was a kid and all I want to do is to have success here.’ Pique (right) has been sidelined on occasion this season — something of a rarity for the Barcelona defender . On the pitch he still believes he can reach the heights of four years ago and away from football he is thriving at the head of the small company Kerad Games that has recently extended its Golden Manager online football game to mobile platforms. The game is popular with his own team-mates and involves each player picking his own team — which begs the obvious question: who’s in your forward line, Gerard? ‘Leo and Cristiano for sure,’ he says. ‘And I had (Wayne) Rooney before but now . . . now it would have to be Suarez.’ l Sky Sports is showing more of the games that matter in an unrivalled schedule of football, including El Clasico and Man Utd v Chelsea this weekend. Play Gerard Pique's Golden Manager at www.goldenmanager.com .

Gerard Pique on Luis Suarez: ‘I don’t care if he’s bitten before' ‘He knows it’s not the correct way to behave,' said defender . Barcelona star says Suarez is a different style to 'sweet' Andres Iniesta and Xavi .

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Alan Pardew believes Remy Cabella is the one Newcastle player capable of scoring a 'rabona' goal just like Erik Lamela. But the Newcastle boss, who takes his side to Spurs this afternoon, insists that foreign playmakers need time to adapt to the Premier League. Pardew said: 'We brought Remy here to produce a moment like Lamela produced last week at Spurs. Hopefully coming out of the side and giving him a little rest has given him the opportunity to understand what the Premier League is about and come back stronger. He has trained well this week.' VIDEO: Scroll down to see Remy Cabella showcasing his skills during France training . Newcastle United midfielder Remy Cabella needs time to adapt to the Premier League, says Alan Pardew . Newcastle boss Pardew takes his side to White Hart Lane on Sunday in a crucial Premier League clash . Tottenham striker Erik Lamela scored an outrageous 'rabona' goal against against Astera Tripoli . Lamela completed a fine move with an unorthodox finish during Tottenham's Europa League clash . The Argentine's wonder strike is unlikely to ever be forgotten by the White Hart Lane faithful . Lamela, meanwhile, should retain his place in the Tottenham side after his incredible goal during Spurs' 5-1 win over Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League on Thursday. He has taken his time adjusting to life in England following his club record £30million move from Roma last summer, but he is finally starting to show his best form and says he bases a lot of his game on Barcelona's Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. Lamela said: 'My idol is Messi. He does not score goals like that one but he is always the best — he is from a different planet. 'This goal was for my girlfriend, family and everyone at the club.'

French midfielder Remy Cabella signed for Newcastle United from Montpellier during the summer . Magpies face Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon . Spurs striker Erik Lamela scored incredible goal during Spurs' 5-1 win over Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League on Thursday .

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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 07:07 EST, 20 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:00 EST, 20 August 2012 . Sentenced: Stefan Fry, 18, inspired by the Yorkshire Ripper, has been jailed for four years, after assaulting a woman with a hammer . A teenager who was obsessed with the Yorkshire Ripper carried out copycat attacks on lone women while armed with a hammer. Stefan Fry, 18, was jailed for four years at Dorchester Crown Court last week. The court heard he researched mass murderer Peter Sutcliffe extensively before he stalked his two victims as they walked alone in secluded parks. He crept up on 37-year-old dog walker Gemma Thompson and struck her twice on the head with a hammer. He then fled the scene, dropping the weapon along the way. Two months earlier the teenager attacked 32-year-old Maria Clarke while she walked along an alleyway. Fry punched her in the face and was beaten off when Miss Clark lashed out at him with her umbrella. He also left a hammer at the scene as he ran off. A year before the two attacks the . supermarket worker was stopped and searched by the police after a . frightened women reported that he had been following her. Fry was caught after Mrs Thompson . managed to remember part of his car registration number despite . being beaten with a hammer. In interview Fry confessed that his interest in the Yorkshire Ripper had influenced him to carry out the attacks. Detectives said there was a worrying escalation in the severity of the offences and they believe he could have gone on to kill had he not been stopped. In jailing him, judge Roger Jarvis described the attacks as ‘deeply disturbing.’ Scene of attack: A pathway in Dorchester, Dorset, where Fry's first victim, Maria Clarke, was attacked. Fry punched her in the face and was beaten off when Miss Clark lashed out at him with her umbrella . Copycat: Stefan Fry, 18, researched mass murderer Peter Sutcliffe (pictured) before the attacks . He said: 'You were plainly influenced by your fascination with serious crime, your searching on the internet for the Yorkshire Ripper and having a book on him. 'Everybody who looks at this must reach the view that you were experimenting at acting out the man’s acts.' A court heard that Fry’s first attack happened on December 15 last year in Dorchester, Dorset. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Powley, of Dorset police, said: 'She walked passed him and thought there was something not quite right. 'As she turned around he punched her in the face. She fought him off with an umbrella she was carrying otherwise it could have been a lot worse.' He said a hammer was later found hanging on a fence near the scene. On February 22 this year, Fry followed Mrs Thompson as she walked a friend’s dog in woods at Langdon Hill, Bridport. She had just put the dogs in the boot of the car when she heard Fry’s footsteps on the gravel behind her. DCI Powley said: 'She was twice struck from behind to the back of the head. Luckily she didn’t suffer serious injuries, just bruising. 'She had the presence of mind to take a registration number which we are very thankful for. 'There was an escalation of violence in her case and there is little doubt that Fry was in his infancy of his crimes. 'I think he was progressing and pushing the boundaries. Had we not caught him when we did, goodness knows what he would have gone on to do. 'He appears to have come from a normal family background but somewhere along the line he became infatuated by Peter Sutcliffe. 'The public are now protected as a result of him being put in prison. Sentenced: Fry was jailed for four years at Dorchester Crown Court last week . 'It is thanks to the courage of the victims and the tenacity of the investigative team that Fry is now serving that prison sentence.' Carolyn Branford-Wood, prosecuting, said Fry made no secret of his interest in the Yorkshire Ripper. She said: 'Asked about the use of the hammer on the two occasions he said he obtained that idea from reading books and also research on the internet about the Yorkshire Ripper. 'He thought it was a large blunt instrument that would have a visual impact on his victims.' Sutcliffe was caught after one of the most notorious murder hunts in British criminal history. It was on July 5, 1975, just 11 months after he married, that Sutcliffe first attacked a woman with a hammer. He said he believed he was on a 'mission from God' to kill prostitutes - although not all of his victims were. He became known as the Yorkshire Ripper after mutilating their bodies with a hammer, a sharpened screwdriver and a knife. Charles Gabb, defending, told Dorchester Crown Court the attacks had been a ‘desperate cry’ for attention. He said Fry had felt he had under-achieved throughout his life. He added: 'The aim was to frighten and scare, not to do anything else.' Judge Jarvis said Fry needed to receive help in prison before being released into society. He said: 'There is plainly a secretive part of your character where you keep some part of your personality hidden from those who think they know you well. 'It seems to me you need to spend a significant amount of time in custody so there is a clear understanding of your motivation and you receive all the help that is available in erasing those dangerous impulses.' Fry, from Bridport, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaults occasioning actual bodily harm and two offences of possessing an offensive weapon.

Stefan Fry, 18, researched mass murderer Peter Sutcliffe before 'acting out' the Ripper attacks . He stalked his two victims as they walked alone in secluded parks before attacking them . Jailed for four years at Dorchester Crown Court .

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(CNN) -- We are losing in Afghanistan, on two fronts. The most important center of gravity of the conflict -- as the Taliban well recognizes -- is the American public. And now, most Americans are opposed to the war. For years, Afghanistan was "the forgotten war," and when Americans started paying attention again -- roughly around the time of President Obama's inauguration -- what they saw was not a pretty sight: a corrupt Afghan government, a world-class drug trade, a resurgent Taliban and steadily rising U.S. casualties. Many surely thought: Didn't we win this war eight years ago? Americans, of course, hate seeing the deaths of fellow citizens in combat, but even more they hate to see those deaths in the service of a war they believe they are either not winning or maybe even losing, which is one of the reasons why they largely turned against the Iraq war in 2006. Within a couple of years, Iraq came back from the brink and started to turn around, after which the war there became largely a nonissue for most Americans. Similarly, the American public would be more likely to tolerate the losses of blood and treasure in Afghanistan if they saw real progress being made there. And right now, they don't. The second front we're losing is the Afghans themselves, who are the United States' center of gravity in the Afghan war. Eight years into this conflict, America and its NATO allies -- who are still looked on favorably by a majority of Afghans -- are not providing large swaths of the Afghan population with the most basic public good, which is security. It's time to table fancy counterinsurgency doctrines about "connecting the Afghan people to the government" -- Afghans have never had, and don't expect much, in the way of services from their government, and it's time now to focus on something much more basic: security. The last government to provide Afghans with real security was ... the Taliban. When they ruled the country before 9/11, security came at a tremendous price: a brutal, theocratic regime that bankrupted the country and was a pariah on the world stage. But in the context of Afghan history, the Taliban bringing security was decisively important, since what had immediately preceded their iron rule was a nightmarish civil war during which you could be robbed or killed at will by gangs of roving ethnic and tribal militias. It is has been a staple of Western political theory since the mid-17th century, when Hobbes wrote "Leviathan," that if the state does not provide security to its people, life will be "nasty, brutish and short." Hobbes wrote "Leviathan" in the shadow of the English Civil War, deriving from that bloody conflict the idea that the most important political good the state can deliver is security. The United States relearned this lesson in Iraq with some success starting in 2007. But the U.S. seems to have developed instant amnesia about this issue in Afghanistan, where around 40 percent of the country was controlled by the Taliban or was at high risk for attacks by insurgents, according to a private assessment prepared by the Afghan military in April, which was obtained by CNN. A glaring symbol of the collapse of security in the country is the 300-mile Kabul-to-Kandahar highway, economically and politically the most important road in the country, which is now too dangerous to drive on. Who will then provide security? The Afghan army is relatively small and generally ineffective. The police are worse. The plans to ramp up the size and efficacy of those forces are, of course, a key part of the American exit strategy from the country. But that training mission is going to take years. Nor are NATO allies going to add significantly more troops. Indeed, a number of NATO countries are already heading to the exits. That means that it now falls to the United States to do the heavy lifting in Afghanistan, and if Obama is serious about securing the country and rolling back the Taliban, he really doesn't have much choice but to put significant numbers of more troops on the ground. That way, he can start winning the war: win back the American public, roll back the Taliban -- who have melded ideologically and tactically with al Qaeda -- and provide real security to the Afghan people. Such a ramp-up will have an additional benefit. In the larger war on al Qaeda and its allies, the center of gravity is the Pakistani public, military and government because it is in Pakistan where al Qaeda and its Taliban allies are headquartered. And in one of the most important strategic shifts since 9/11, the Pakistani military and government are now getting serious about wiping out large elements of the Taliban and allied groups on their territory and, most importantly, are doing it with the support of their population. No longer are Pakistani military operations against militants in Swat and Waziristan seen by Pakistanis as "America's war": they are now seen as being in the vital interests of the Pakistani state because the Pakistani Taliban and other jihadist groups have made major strategic errors since early 2009, including marching close to Islamabad, attacking Pakistan's equivalent of the Pentagon and killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers and policemen. This new development is vitally important. Over the years, U.S. military commanders have often talked about hammer and anvil operations in eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan that would bring an American hammer down on the militants based along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, who would then in turn be caught on a Pakistani anvil. In reality, the American hammer was never large and the Pakistani anvil was never strong. But the ongoing Pakistani military incursion into Waziristan, which was preceded by months of "softening up" operations with air strikes and artillery as well as a ramped-up American drone program aimed at al Qaeda and Taliban leaders there, is today setting the conditions for a real anvil. The hammer must now be applied. Armed groups don't sue for peace when they believe they might have the upper hand, and right now, the Taliban feel that they are winning the war -- or at least not losing it, which for most insurgencies amounts to the same thing. If there is to be some kind of political reconciliation with elements of the Taliban, that will only come once they truly believe they have no prospect of military success. At the same time, key roads, cities and towns in Afghanistan must also be secured. Without providing that security, as Hobbes wrote three and half centuries ago, governments of any kind will fail at their most basic task. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bergen.

Peter Bergen: Most Americans now oppose the war in Afghanistan . He says U.S., Afghan government don't provide basic security . Hobbes said life in nations without security is "nasty, brutish and short" Bergen: Obama has to add troops if he is serious about repelling Taliban .

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Whitney Houston's mother has made another appearance in hospital to be at Bobbi Kristina's beside amid claims she is avoiding the 21-year-old's father. Cissy Houston arrived at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on Sunday evening to visit her granddaughter, who is still in a coma fighting for her life. However it has been claimed the 81-year-old former gospel singer is planning her trips so she doesn't bump into Bobby Brown. The pair have been pictured arriving separately since Cissy flew in from her New Jersey home, and sources have told the Atlanta Journal Constitution it is deliberate. Bobbi Kristina also received a number of visitors, including close family friend Tyler Perry. She has now been in hospital for over a week. Continued support: Cissy Houston arrived at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on Sunday evening to visit her granddaughter, who is still in a coma fighting for her life . Deliberate: It has been claimed the 81-year-old is allegedly planning her trips so she doesn't bump into Bobby Brown. They have been pictured arriving at different times throughout the week . Regular: The former gospel singer has been seen at the hospital most days since flying in from her home in New Jersey last week . Close friend: Tyler Perry was also seen walking into the Atlanta hospital on Sunday as the bedside vigil to Bobbi Kristina continues . It is not the first time each side of the family have been at odds when gathered in the same place. Bobby Brown and his entourage arrived for Whitney's funeral in 2012, but quickly left because he was moved around three times by security. The tragedy being carried by the family of this week hit even harder on Saturday, as relatives gathered at the 21-year-old's bedside on the three-year anniversary of her mother's death. Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012, the day before the Grammy awards of that year. With this year's Grammy's set to take place Sunday, it was an eerie link between mother and daughter that added to the solemness of the situation at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Bobbi Kristina remains comatose in the facility one week after being found facedown and not breathing in the bathtub of her home Roswell, Georgia, in a scene that echoed the death of her mother. Father: A grief-stricken Bobby Brown arrived at the hospital on Saturday morning amid reports that he and Cissy Houston are avoiding each other . Emotional: Brown is said to be remaining hopeful that his daughter's condition will improve . Prayer: Brown, who reportedly hopes a miracle will save Bobbi, spent 90 minutes at the hospital Saturday . Bobbi's was seen arriving at the hospital with his entourage and his pregnant wife, Alicia, on Saturday. The singer appeared tired and emotional after leaving the facility after about 90 minutes, The New York Daily News reported. Grandmother Cissy Houston, who is said to be devastated over what happened following the death of her daughter, Whitney, arrived at the hospital one hour after Brown left. Other family members were also seen entering. There have been no updates on Bobbi's condition. While police said they had found drugs in the house, it is not clear how Bobbi came to lose consciousness. However on Friday it emerged that authorities were looking into a criminal investigation. Tragic: Bobbi Kristina with Whitney Houston in February 2012 - the singer was found dead two days later . According to TMZ, suspicious injuries found on Bobbi when she was taken to hospital made them suspect foul play may have been involved. Jerod Brown wrote on Instagram on Thursday that 'doctors don't see any hope for change', but her father has slammed claims the family are preparing to say goodbye. Bobbi was found unconscious by her partner Nick Gordon and friend Max Lomas in her Roswell, Georgia home. Lomas discovered Bobbi Kristina after he went looking for her when a cable man knocked at the door, E! reported. When she did not respond, he went in and found her, his attorney said. It was revealed on Friday that she could have been submerged for around 15 minutes before she was discovered. She was rushed to hospital and her family has remained tight-lipped about her condition, but on Thursday, her cousin took to Instagram to provide friends a heartbreaking update. 'Though it seems the odds are against her,' Jerod Brown wrote, 'though doctors don't see any hope for change, though we might want to play detective and find out how she got there, though it looks impossible for her to stand again STILL PRAY FOR BK.' Visit: Cissy Houston arrives to visit Bobbi Kristina Brown at the Emory University Hospital on Friday . Emergency: Cissy flew in from her New Jersey home earlier in the week . One person told the website: 'Cissy was traumatized losing Whitney in 2012 and the pain is still raw from that. 'Watching Krissy in the hospital and in the coma is almost more than she can handle. This is almost too much sadness for her to bear.' She was also the most outspoken against the film about her daughter, which premiered last month. 'Lifetime has chosen to go ahead with the movie about Whitney in spite of my family's objections,' the bereaved mother said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight in June. 'No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or anything about her relationship with Bobby.' Vigil: Gary Houston Jr. and Leolah Brown try to keep their optimism as they wait and hope for Bobbi Kristina Brown's recovery . Support: Relatives are seen coming and going from Emory University Hospital, where Bobbi is comatose . Visit: As family stay by her side, police are investigation possible foul play . On Thursday, DailyMail.com learned that Bobbi's life-support machine was switched off. 'The plug on Bobbi Kristina has been pulled,' a police source said. It is possible for a patient to survive despite artificial assistance being withdrawn. Bobby Brown did not respond directly to the claims but slammed reports saying that the family were preparing to say goodbye to his youngest daughter.

Cissy Houston, 81, arrived at the Emory University Hospital on Saturday . Has visited every day since flying in from her New Jersey home last week . Is believed to be timing the appearances so she doesn't bump into Brown . Close family friend Tyler Perry was also seen paying Bobbi a visit . On Saturday the family marked the third anniversary of Whitney's death .

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By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 07:55 EST, 22 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:59 EST, 22 March 2013 . This picture of Mark Duper was released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office after he was arrested and charged wth allegedly beating his son . American football star Mark Duper has been released from jail on bond after allegedly beating up his 17-year-old son in a domestic row. The former Miami Dolphins player faces a felony child abuse charge after assaulting his teenage son and knocking him out during a series of fights at their Florida home. The wide receiver, who starred for the Dolphins from 1982 to 1992, spent a night in jail after his arrest on Wednesday following the assault the day before. Authorities say Duper attacked his son Marcus three times and knocked him out twice. Duper has reportedly admitted there was an altercation but said he was acting in self-defense. It was reported that the argument began with a row over a text Duper's son had sent to an ex-girlfriend. During the row, Duper allegedly asked his son to pick a hat off the floor and punched him in the face when he 'wouldn't listen', according to the arrest report quoted in the Miami Herald. The report claims Duper picked his son up and body-slammed him, knocking him unconscious. The fight is then said to have calmed down before escalating again, with Duper allegedly 'hitting the child in the head and face with his fist'. Later, the fight started up again when the boy is said to have dented his father's car with his bike, and Duper allegedly punched him in the face. The Herald reports the police report: 'Once [the victim] went to the ground on his stomach, Mark climbed on top of [him], grabbed [him] by the neck and began choking.' Mark Duper is seen here in 1988 getting caught from behind by Green Bay Packers' Mark Lee during an NFL game in Miami . Duper was arrested on Wednesday after . police were alerted to the boy's injuries, which included a cut lip, . scratches, and a knot on his forehead. He was questioned and spent a night in jail before being released on bond, and police notified the Department of Children and Families. Duper, nicknamed Super Duper, played 11 seasons for the Dolphins, the best being 1984 and 1986.

Mark Duper, 54, faces child felony abuse charge after row at Florida home . Authorities say he knocked out son Marcus, 17, twice on Tuesday night . Former wide receiver admits row but says he was acting in self-defense .

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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 08:07 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:44 EST, 26 February 2013 . With news of Steve Martin becoming a father at 67 and Hugh Grant at 52, it seems that you're never too old to have children. But the ideal age to start to procreate, according to a recent study of British mothers and fathers, is just 26-years-old. A third of parents claim that having . children at a younger age meant they could have a bigger family, while a . fifth felt they will have more in common with their children. Are they ready? Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Zac Efron are both 26, the perfect age for having a first child . A quarter of those questioned weren’t sure how long it would take to conceive, and so wanted to start early. Owning a house and getting married were the two key milestones most parents wanted to have reached before having children. Despite these milestones, six in 10 parents were happy to be earning a collective wage of just £25,000 a year before settling down to have a family. Collective wage: Six in 10 parents were happy to be earning a collective wage of just £25,000 a year before settling down to have a family, Blake Lively and Ed Westwick are both 26 but earn a lot more than that . Claire Halsey, Clinical Psychologist and contributor to the Seven Seas Pregnancy whitepaper, who carried out the research, said: 'The results of this survey are quite surprising, as we would have expected parents to think the perfect age to start a family to be late twenties to early thirties, as opposed to mid-twenties. 'Contrary to popular belief younger women are planning a family after just a few years of working rather than waiting to establish a career, going travelling or spending time on hobbies. 'Perhaps there is a realisation that as the recession affects work prospects, planning for a family can come first and career later.' Perfect age: Like Hilary Duff, most Brits think that 26 is the perfect age to have a child. Reasons include worrying that they won't be able to conceive when older . The report also questioned 2000 childless adults about their plans to have a family. While one in 20 claimed they never wanted to have children, the average age across the rest of the respondents was 28. So despite two thirds of people without children wanting to have achieved something in life before starting a family, most reckon they will have done this before hitting 30. As well as wanting to have a house and marriage sorted, half of those polled wanted to earn a decent amount of money, while 47 per cent want job security. Four in 10 people would like to have savings in the bank before settling down with kids and 26 per cent wanted to have enjoyed lots of holidays. Older fathers: The average age for wanting children across childless respondents was 28, much younger than celebrity fathers Steve Martin who had a baby at 67 and Hugh Grant, 52 . Childless couples also wanted to make a number of preparations before starting a family, but financial stability outweighs pre-conceptual health planning  – six in 10 wanted to save money for months in advance, while only a fifth would take folic acid, vitamins and supplements. Despite government recommendations, 85 per cent of mothers and pregnant women didn’t take a conception supplement containing folic acid, omega-3 and vitamin D during their pregnancy. Adopting a healthier attitude to life was a big concern – just under half of those polled on pregnancy wanted to eat healthier food, a quarter would take up more exercise and the same percentage would like to lose weight. Of those mothers who have already had children, a fifth admitted they were initially worried that they weren’t healthy enough to start a family. And of the six in 10 mums who planned their conception, one in 10 stopped smoking, and 23 per cent made healthier food choices and cut down on alcohol.

Both mothers and fathers have voted mid-twenties as time when young couples should start a family . Owning a house and getting married were key milestones to achieve before having a family . Six in 10 parents happy to be earning collective wage of £25,000 a year before trying to conceive . Childless people polled thought 28 was the perfect age to procreate . Blake Lively, Zac Efron and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are all 26 .

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By . Alexandra Klausner . The only thing worse than going back to school after a relaxing summer is watching a commercial about it deemed 'the worst commercial ever' by internet viewers. Or is it? A 30-second commercial for East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph, Missouri was posted on YouTube on Saturday and so far has over one million views. Though many YouTube users think the commercial is 'terrible,' it's managed to go viral almost overnight, reports ABC. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . The opening: A girl sings the name of the mall off-key in the beginning of the 'terrible' commercial . Great casting: Employees of the mall hold up items like 'denim' which can be purchased at the shopping center . The commercial starts with a little girl singing about back to school shopping at East Hills Shopping Center. It then shows several of the mall's employees holding up various back to school items featured in the shopping center. 'Denim,' says on employee as she holds up a pair of the season's newest blue jeans. 'Haircuts,' sings a punk-rock looking employee as she gives the camera her most operatic voice. 'Backpacks! Backpacks! Come get your backpacks!' says a perky blonde employee. 'Boots and pants,' says a mall worker with spiked blonde hair. Singing praise: This woman sings 'haircuts' in her best operatic voice . Classic staple: 'Backpacks,' exclaims a perky blonde to the camera . 'Shoes!' screeches another employee. 'Get yourself an outfit,' says a woman in case the viewers didn't realize that the mall sells multiple items of clothing. The local advertisement may have amused some and annoyed others but either way it has gained international attention. 'Americans are good at making everything terrible,' said user Rage Smith. 'I don't know what to do. Am I supposed to dislike this, or like it? I dislike it with a passion, but that's the point so do I like it?' said Aaron Tripp. 'I don't think it's a "terrible" commercial when it goes viral and 1'000'000 end up watching it,' said XxDarkLightWolfxX. Great combo: 'Boots and pants,' exclaims a male store staff member . Step in the right direction: 'Shoes,' advertises this vivacious mall staff member . Sales boost?: It's hard to say whether or not the commercial will boost sales at the mall but considering the large number of viewers it's promising . 'What an innovative form of marketing. Reverse psychology, I wanna go there to get my boots and pants,' said JamEcrivain. The mall's general manager Caroline Thalasinos spoke with NBC on Monday morning and said that the commercial was intended to be extremely 'lightheaded and funny.' 'It was extremely catchy and even though it was extremely funny, I knew a lot of people might take it seriously, and I mean, we had no idea that it was going to go viral but I knew that we were going to get attention for it and that’s what the main goal was,' she added. Thalasinos told reporters it's too soon to tell if the commercial will boosts sales but it has certainly gotten the public's attention.'When they do think of back to school shopping .... They’re going to think of East Hills Shopping Center, and I think that’s great,' she said.

A 30-second commercial for East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph, Missouri was posted on YouTube on Saturday . So far, the commercial has over 1 million views . viewers are split over finding the commercial amusing versus annoying . It's too soon to tell if the commercial will boosts sales but it has certainly gotten the public's attention .

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It's billed as the most technologically advanced cruise ship ever built. So it's ironic that I can't connect to the Wifi on my iPhone as I set sail on Quantum Of The Seas - but it's only temporary. I'm one of the first guests on board the world's first smartship, sailing from Southampton to Cornwall and back before it makes its way to New York on Sunday and relocates to the Caribbean. Scroll down for video . Big ship: Touted as the world’s first smartship, Quantum of the Seas is the most high-tech cruise ship in the world. The vessel sails from Southampton to Cornwall and back before it makes its way to New York on Sunday and relocates to the Caribbean . Jewel in the crown: North Star, a London Eye-style pod on the top deck lifting passengers 300ft above sea level, offering thrilling views . There, passengers will be able to connect to the ultra-fast O3b technology, not yet available in the UK, but Royal Caribbean promises it will be by the time its next liner, Anthem Of The Seas arrives here in the spring. At 1,141ft long, Quantum Of The Seas is the length of 41 London buses and longer than five Boeing 747s. It’s the third largest cruise ship in the world, making for an impressive sight as it docked in Southampton on Friday. But looking like rows of floating flats, it's not the outside that's the attraction. Inside boasts robotic bartenders serving cocktails, a skydiving simulator, a world-first digital entertainment system, on-board dodgems, and virtual balconies in windowless rooms. And then there's the jewel in the crown - North Star, a London Eye-style pod on the top deck lifting passengers 300ft above sea level, offering thrilling panoramic ocean views. It's the ultimate ship designed with tech-savvy holidaymakers in mind. Cutting-edge technology: The whirring blue robotic arm bartenders that shake and stir your poison according to your tastes . The ship's architecture is complemented by a multi-million dollar, 2,980 art collection including this a huge butterfly wall by the glass lifts . The passenger pod, similar to the capsules on the London Eye, offers 360-degree panoramic views of the ocean . Guests can find swimming pools, sunbeds and hottubs - as well as a bar serving drinks throughout the day on Deck 15 . And the digital experience begins before guests even leave home - where they can check in online as well as book on-board dining, spa appointments and shore excursions. The checking in process is efficient. From arriving at the port in Southampton to taking my first step on Quantum takes about seven minutes - none of the usual airport queues. The incredibly designed Quantum, which took three years to build and weighs 167,800 tonnes, certainly delivers on its 'wow factor' promise. There are 18 decks, 2,090 staterooms, 16 glass elevators, and room for a staggering 4,905 passengers and 1,500 crew members. Once on board, it's a case of what to do first. Decks four and five are lined with elegant Las Vegas-style restaurants, bars and shops selling everything from pints of beer and slices of pizza, to champagne and diamonds. The indoor active space iFly on level 16 boasts on-board dodgem cars as well as a a circus school with flying trapeze, and roller skating . Located next to a rock-climbing wall, the jewel of the ship’s art collection is a 30-foot magenta polar bear on the exterior deck . Level 16 boasts iFly - the world's first skydive simulator at sea - as well as North Star, a five-star spa, a surf simulator, a climbing wall, and Seaplex, the largest indoor active space at sea, with gaming, a circus school and bumper cars. Deck 15 is where guests can find swimming pools, sunbeds and hottubs - as well as a pool-side bar playing music and serving drinks throughout the day. And the showstopping Two70 entertainment venue – featuring vast, floor-to-ceiling glass walls spanning three decks and offering 270-degree panoramic sea views – with its five-star lounge-style seating, and chic cocktails, is on levels four and five. Inside, the ship's awesome architecture is complemented by a multi-million dollar, 2,980 art collection – from a huge butterfly wall by the glass lifts, and on-board galleries, to the 30ft-tall magenta polar bear made from stainless steel triangles standing proud on the ship’s exterior deck. My 11th floor statecabin is spacious and modern, boasting USB plugs, a flat-screen TV, a double bed, a sofa and blue, grey and cream decor, as well as plenty of storage and a shower room - although toiletries are only available upon request. There's also a balcony with two chairs affording an impressive ocean view. The passenger pod, similar to the capsules on the London Eye, offers 360-degree panoramic views of the ocean . Room with a view: The pod suspends passengers out over the side of the ship for unparalleled views across the ocean . Weighs 168,666 gross tonnes . 1,141 feet long - 2.5 longer than the Great Pyramid of Giza is tall . Cruising speed: 22 knots - faster than Usain Bolt's average by a bow . Space for 4,905 guests in total and 1,500 crew . 136 feet wide - three times wider than a basketball court . Boasts 2,090 staterooms (375 with virtual balconies) North Star pod takes guests 300ft above sea level . Four bow thrusters produce 4,694 horsepower each - equal to 24 F1 cars . Ship is three times the size of the International Space Station; 11 times bigger than a blue whale . Cost £133,000 per berth to build . For those in windowless rooms, virtual balconies are available – a full-length screen showing a boat’s eye view as the vessel travels; but it comes at an extra cost. My Wow wristband gives me access to my room - as well as allowing me to make purchases; in theory linking to on board app Royal iQ, which guests can use to manage their holiday - but it doesn't work efficiently during the pre-inaugural voyage, so I resort to the old-fashioned method of writing everything down instead. The wristband also takes away the need to ever carry around cash - which is potentially dangerous with plenty of high-end shops dotted around. On decks four and five are where most of the 18 restaurants are located - including Jamie's Italian; Jamie Oliver's first outlet at sea; and Wonderland, which offers an experimental dining ‘experience’ in an glamorous and quirky setting. In a concept called Dynamic Dining, the cruise ship's traditional main dining room has been 'reimagined' as five complimentary restaurants. No free-for-all buffet here. Instead, these are elegant, well-thought-out eateries offering five-star dining, adventurous dishes and top-notch wines, with waiters using tablets to communicate orders immediately with the kitchen. These are the types of restaurants you would want to dine at even if you weren't at sea. Guests have the opportunity to dine in some of the restaurants free of charge, while others (including Jamie’s Italian) have an extra fee attached. After a ride on the North Star, which takes us on an incredibly high, but very smooth ride, I enjoy champagne in the chic Diamond Club, before dining in the luxurious Chops Grille, which specialises in steak and fish dishes. A member of staff demonstrates the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator at the back of Quantum of the Seas . Quantum of the Seas' robot bartenders -  the first of their kind in the world - prove to be yet another form of entertainment on the ship . When Two70 becomes an entertainment venue at night, it uses six ‘roboscreens’ that move or unite as one to entertain passengers . Our waiter is friendly and helpful, and the food is superb, everything is faultless. Even though I'm full the dessert menu is not to be passed on - and I finish with a calorific red velvet sponge cake smothered in cream. The evening doesn't end there. As well as a production of Mamma Mia, guests can book to watch the exclusive show StarWater in the spectacular Two70 venue - the screen technology is incredible, offering a backdrop only rivalled by theatres but without the need for the space. After that, there's a late-night casino on deck three - with designated smoking areas, which is odd to see inside - with card tables and slot machines flashing their lights until the early hours, as well as tribute bands playing in bars, piano players tinkering late into the night, and DJs taking the party on until the next day. Around every corner there is something whirring, something to touch, something to taste, or something to experience. The cruise ship is filled with shops and 18 restaurants and bars to keep passengers entertained on board . Royal Caribbean owns the world’s three largest cruise ships – Allure of the Seas, the Oasis of the Seas and the Quantum of the Seas . Quantum of the Seas boasts 18 decks and has room for 4,180 guests. The ship is three times the size of the International Space Station . I place my order for a drink courtesy of the whirring blue robotic arm bartenders, that shake and stir your poison according to your tastes. There’s a queue already, with people having to wait nine minutes for their order – but there are no groans of frustration, as the bionic staff prove to be entertainment enough. Royal Caribbean says it has created the ship with the modern holidaymaker in mind - and that it opens cruising up to a younger, tech-savvy audience. But it adds that although Quantum Of The Seas is designed with technology at its fore, guests can choose not to use it. However, with the digital concept at the heart of what’s on offer on board this smartship, it’s not the type of vessel to travel on if you want to switch off - but it's perfect if you are switched on. It's the future of cruising ... or, at least, it will be as soon as the Wifi connection works.

Royal Caribbean’s new vessel is third largest in world carrying 4,905 passengers . Billed as the world’s first smartship with robotic bartenders and skydive simulator . At 1,141ft-long, Quantum Of The Seas is longer than five Boeing 747s . Boasts 18 decks and 18 restaurants, including the first Jamie’s Italian at sea . Also features virtual balconies for windowless rooms and wristband door keys .

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(CNN) -- What started as a deeply emotional race for Tony Stewart ended prematurely when a blown tire cut short his return to NASCAR. Stewart came back to competition Sunday for the first time since his car struck and killed another driver on August 9. The crowd at the Oral-B USA 500 erupted in cheers as Stewart was introduced. But after just 172 of 325 laps at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, his front right tire blew, and Stewart's car smacked the wall on Turn 2. In the end, Kasey Kahne won the race and clinched a spot in the "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" playoff. Matt Kenseth came in second, and Denny Hamlin finished third. But many thoughts were with Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr., the 20-year-old driver who was killed at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park in New York. Stewart declined to speak to a reporter after Sunday's race. But he spoke to the media briefly Friday about Ward's death. "This has been one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with, both professionally and personally," Stewart said. "And this is something that will definitely affect my life forever." Ward's death . Spectator video from the night of Ward's death shows two cars coming out of a turn, with Stewart's No. 14 car sliding up the track toward Ward's No. 13 car. The two cars get close and appear to make contact before Ward's car hits the wall and spins out. Ward gets out of his crashed car and walks on the track toward the race cars, which had slowed for a yellow flag. Ward points a finger and appears to be yelling. One car swerves to avoid Ward on the half-mile dirt track. Stewart's car passes close to Ward, and it appears that its right rear tire hits him. Authorities said Ward died of "massive blunt trauma." Stewart withdrew from the NASCAR race in New York's Watkins Glen the day after Ward died. He also missed races in Michigan and Tennessee. Under investigation . New York authorities have been investigating the fatal crash. Ontario County Sheriff Philip C. Povero has said there was no evidence that a crime had been committed. Ward, from Port Leyden, New York, was in his fifth season in the Empire Super Sprints series. He began racing when he was 4, running go-kart events. When he was 12, he moved to the faster sprint cars. His father blames Stewart for hitting his son. "Apparently, Tony Stewart was the only one driving out there who didn't see him," the father said, according to Syracuse.com. Stewart said that he wants Ward's parents and sisters "to know that every day I'm thinking about them and praying for them." While the incident hit him hard, Stewart said he knows "that the pain and the mourning that Kevin Ward's family and friends are experiencing is something that I can't possibly imagine." CNN's Jason Hanna, Steve Almasy and Wayne Sterling contributed to this report.

Stewart's front right tire blows at a NASCAR race in Atlanta . It was his first race since his car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. on August 9 . "This has been one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with," Stewart said . Kasey Kahne won the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday .

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(CNN) -- Two of the most influential papers for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire -- the first two states to weigh in at the polls in 2008 -- both endorsed John McCain in the Republican presidential race, but differed in their choice in the Democratic contest. The Des Moines Register backs Hillary Clinton, while The Boston Globe picks Barack Obama. The Des Moines Register backed Hillary Clinton, while The Boston Globe picked Barack Obama, in excerpts of Sunday's editorials posted on their papers' Web sites Saturday night. The Iowa caucuses are January 3, and New Hampshire's primary follows five days later. The Globe's editorial board dismissed concerns over the Illinois senator's relative lack of Washington experience. "It is true that all the other Democratic contenders have more conventional resumes, and have spent more time in Washington," the board wrote. "But that exposure has tended to give them a sense of government's constraints. Obama is more open to its possibilities." But the Register's editorial board -- which noted that Obama "demonstrates the potential to be a fine president" -- still gave the edge to the senator from New York, saying it made the nods in both parties' primaries based on competence and readiness to lead. "When Obama speaks before a crowd, he can be more inspirational than Clinton," the board wrote. "Yet, with his relative inexperience, it's hard to feel as confident he could accomplish the daunting agenda that lies ahead." The Iowa paper's endorsement is widely viewed as a major boost for Clinton, and a blow to the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, whose Register endorsement during the 2004 race was followed by a surprisingly strong showing in the state's Democratic caucuses. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told CNN's Mike Roselli that the campaign was "not surprised" by the Register's decision, adding "that it was a bigger surprise to get the Globe's," and noting that the Des Moines paper "said good things about us." Obama told CNN, "I think we are doing pretty good. We split it today between the Globe and the Register." The Clinton campaign immediately sent out a news release containing the full text of the paper's endorsement, which took Edwards to task for recent campaign trail rhetoric, writing that "We too seldom saw the 'positive, optimistic' campaign we found appealing in 2004." "Obama, [Clinton's] chief rival, inspired our imaginations," the Register board wrote. "But it was Clinton who inspired our confidence." Clinton spokesman Mark Daley told CNN's Suzanne Malveaux that the campaign is incredibly pleased and honored. "But we know we have a few weeks left to go before the caucuses and a lot of work to do," Daley said, adding that after Clinton's Thursday debate performance, her Friday endorsement by Iowa's Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell and Saturday's Register nod, "we feel good about our campaign heading into the final weeks." The three Democrats are battling for the lead in Iowa, placing within just a few points of one another in most recent state polls. Watch a report about who might win in Iowa » . On the Republican side, the Register's board wrote that the endorsement went to the senator from Arizona because "time after time, McCain has stuck to his beliefs in the face of opposition from other elected leaders and the public. "The force of John McCain's moral authority could go a long way toward restoring Americans' trust in government and inspiring new generations to believe in the goodness and greatness of America," they wrote. Meanwhile, the Globe's board passed over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying that while McCain's views might differ from theirs, his "honesty has served him well." "As a lawmaker and as a candidate, he has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest discussion of the problems facing the United States," the board wrote. In 2004, the newspaper stuck with the native son on the ballot, giving the nod in the Democratic primary to Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who went on to win the New Hampshire primary. The Boston Globe's endorsements are influential in neighboring New Hampshire, especially the southern part of the state, where many residents make the daily weekday commute to work in Boston. And the endorsement weighs even greater with Democratic voters there, since the state's main newspaper -- the New Hampshire Union Leader -- has a conservative editorial board and makes only one primary endorsement, which is almost always a Republican. McCain's Globe endorsement follows a recent nod from the New Hampshire Union Leader. Political pundits almost left McCain for dead this summer, after his campaign nearly ran out of cash and hemorrhaged staff, and the candidate sank in the polls. Now, the senator is in second place or tied for second in the most recent Granite State polls. McCain won New Hampshire's Republican primary during his 2000 presidential run. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Suzanne Malveaux and Mark Preston contributed to this report.

The Des Moines Register and The Boston Globe endorse John McCain in GOP race . On the Democratic side, the Register backs Clinton, while the Globe picks Obama . Both newspapers are influential for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire . The Iowa caucuses are January 3; New Hampshire's primary follows five days later .

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As the 2014 World Cup continues, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture in Brazil from team news and key battles to betting odds and Opta stats... Here is all the information you need for the game in Group A between hosts Brazil and Mexico. Click here to follow the Brazil vs Mexico World Cup 2014 action live . Venue: Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza . Kick-off: 8pm (4pm, Brazil time) TV coverage: BBC1, from 7.30pm . Best bet: Brazil 1/3, Draw 4/1, Mexico 10/1 . Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Managers: Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil)Miguel Herrera (Mexico) VIDEO Team Profile: Brazil . Great expectations: Luiz Felipe Scolari oversees Brazil training in Fortaleza on Monday . VIDEO Hulk a doubt for Brazil . One to watch: Oscar . Brazil’s creator in chief was at his best against Croatia, scrapping in midfield, grabbing a goal and assist and playing a part in another goal. His tendency to drop deep makes him difficult to mark and his injury troubles in the second half of the season appear to have left him fresh to star for the Selecao. Key clash: Fred vs Rafael Marquez . Fred took some criticism for the way he went down against Croatia and Marquez will need to be wary not to get too close to the Brazil frontman whilst also making sure he does not provide a platform for Neymar to star again coming in from the left. A difficult job but one the four-time World Cup captain will relish. VIDEO Team Profile: Mexico . Key man: Brazil and Chelsea playmaker Oscar shone in the tournament opener against Croatia . Head-to-head record: . Played 38, Brazil wins 22, Draws 6, Mexico wins 10 . Opta stats: .

Brazil face Mexico in both sides' second Group A match . Hosts Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in the tournament's opening game . Mexico beat Cameroon 1-0 in their opening match . Brazil and Mexico are meeting for the fourth time at the World Cup. The Seleção have won their three previous meetings with a combined score of 11-0. Brazil and Mexico met the last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, in the opening game of the 1950 edition at the Maracanã. The Seleção won 4-0. Brazil and Mexico last met in the 2013 Confederations Cup, at the same venue as this game, the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men won 2-0 thanks to goals from Neymar and Jô. Mexico have only beaten the Seleção once on Brazilian soil. It was on October 31, 1968 in a friendly (2-1). Mexico have only won one of their 11 games at the World Cup against South American sides (2-1 v Ecuador in 2002), drawing two and losing eight. Luiz Felipe Scolari has faced Mexico once before at the World Cup. It was in charge of Portugal in the 2006 edition. His side won 2-1 in the group stages. Neymar has scored 33 goals in only 50 appearances for Brazil and has six in his last four appearances for the Seleção. Brazil have lost just one of their 34 World Cup matches in the first round/group stages of the World Cup since 1970 (W27 D6) – this came in a 1-2 defeat by Norway in their final group game of 1998 (but they had already qualified for the next stage). The Seleção are now unbeaten in 38 successive matches in Brazil, with their last defeat coming against Paraguay (0-1in a friendly) in August 2002. Oribe Peralta has scored nine goals in his last seven competitive appearances for Mexico, including the winner in the opening group stage game of this tournament.

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If you're going to surf some of the world's biggest waves then you've got to expect some of the world's biggest wipeouts, as this lot found out the hard way. The group of seemingly fearless surfers were filmed taking on enormous 12 metre high waves at the infamous surfing break nicknamed Jaws in Peahi, Maui, Hawaii. Although many were flipped from their boards and sent crashing into the surf, a few determined individuals managed to keep their balance and ride out the enormous waves in spectacular fashion. The spectacular images capture the moment the athletes were swallowed by a monster waves or hurled off their boards and scattered through the ocean. The thrill-seeking surfers were caught unawares when the massive wave broke later than they anticipated. Giora Koren, 44, filmed the incredible feat of nature at Jaws surfing break in Hawaii - home to some of the worldís biggest swells. Wipeout! A surfer is unceremoniously flipped from his board as he attempts to ride Maui's infamous 'Jaws' break . Big break: Three surfers struggle against one of the monster waves in Peahi, Maui, while others watch on from their boards below . Splashdown: A surfer crashes into the sea after coming a cropper on one of the giant waves . Cowabunga: The thrill-seeking surfers were caught unawares when the massive wave broke later than they anticipated . On the edge: A surfer crouches low as he plummets down the face of a huge wave off the coast of Maui . Tubular swell: A surfer speeds across the water as he successfully rides one of the huge 12 metre high waves . Surfs up: A daredevil surfer rides the infamous surfing break nicknamed Jaws as  a pair of lifeguards watch on from a jet ski . Giora Koren, 44, filmed the incredible feat of nature at Jaws surfing break in Hawaii - home to some of the world's biggest swells .

Incredible images show surfers taking on giant waves at the infamous 'Jaws'surfing break in Peahi, Maui, Hawaii .

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Phone cases were once simply used to protect fragile phones, but the latest wave of cases are so smart, they can predict incoming messages. The Lunecase uses excess energy, generated when the phone connects to a network, to . show notifications, and can distinguish between the individual . wavelengths created by calls and texts. These notifications appear on the rear of the case, before the phone registers they've arrived, and means alerts can be seen when the phone is face down. Scroll down for video . The Lunecase (pictured) uses the excess energy generated when a phone connects to a network to show notifications on the rear of the case. It can distinguish between the individual wavelengths created by calls and texts and means alerts can be seen when the phone is face down . Electronic devices emit very small amounts of electromagnetic energy. When a call is made, or a text is sent, this energy is generated as the phone connects to the nearest mobile network. Lunecase harvests this excess energy to light up LEDs on the rear of the case. It can distinguish between the individual wavelengths created by calls and texts, and will show the relevant icon. Because the case uses excess energy, it never needs charging, doesn’t use the phone’s battery, or slow down connection speeds. Alternatively, the Lunecase Eclipse version uses flashing lights around the Apple icon to notify of incoming messages and calls. Cases are expected to retail from $50 (£30) and go on sale in August. Because they use excess energy, the case never needs charging, doesn’t use the phone’s battery, or slow down connection speeds. The Ukranian developers at Concepter have already raised more than $147,100 (£87,800) via a Kickstarter campaign - three times the $50,000 (£30,000) goal. ‘Electronic devices emit very small amounts of electromagnetic energy,’ explained the developers. The Lunecase (pictured) is expected to retail from $50 (£30) and go on sale in August. Because it uses excess energy, the case never needs charging, and doesn't use the phone's battery, or slow down connection speeds . ‘We decided to transform the unused energy from the iPhone into a notification system on the back of the phone. ‘The Lunecase is the first intelligent iPhone cover. The case knows and identifies when you receive a message or a phone call before it is even displayed on the iPhone's screen. ‘[It] displays these notifications on the back of the smartphone with the help of LEDs, using the free energy that is emitted by the device, converting it from the natural iPhone's electromagnetic energy into a usable energy.’ The Ukranian developers at Concepter have already raised more than $147,100 (£87,800) via a Kickstarter campaign for its Lunecase (pictured), which is three times the $50,000 (£30,000) goal . If these latest Apple rumours are true, the technology would be similar to that seen on the Lunecase. The Lunecase (pictured) uses excess energy, generated when the phone connects to a network, to show notifications - and can distinguish between the individual wavelengths created by calls and texts . The case only works when the phone is connected to a mobile network that can receive calls and texts and is currently only available for the iPhone 5, 5C and 5S. Future versions will be built for other devices, and will show a wider range of notifications, including email. Meanwhile, London-based Cliq has developed an Android case that adds control buttons to the rear of the device. Three touch-based options can be programmed to launch the camera, take photos, make a call, send a pre-written text and control music. It is available from Kickstarter for $25 (£15) and will be shipped from August.

Lunecase uses excess energy created when a phone connects to networks . It can distinguish between the wavelengths created by calls and texts . An icon lights up on the rear of the device to show an incoming notification . This means the case never needs charging, nor does it use battery power . Lunecase Eclipse version uses flashing lights to show incoming messages . Cases are expected to retail for $50 (£30) and go on sale in August .

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By . Rob Cooper, Anna Edwards, Lucy Osborne and Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 07:16 EST, 26 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:34 EST, 27 April 2013 . These are the first pictures of the bride-to-be who was badly injured and her friend who was killed when their hen party minibus collided with a lorry on the M62 yesterday. The woman on her way to celebrate her impending wedding, named locally as Stefanie Firth, is believed to be in a critical condition and suffering spinal injuries . Bethany Jones has been named as the 18-year-old who was killed when the the minibus they were travelling in from South Elmsall, West Yorkshire to Liverpool, collided with a lorry. Scroll down for video . Stefanie Firth (right) has been named as the bride-to-be who was injured and Bethany Jones (left) is named as the student who died in the horror crash . University student Bethany Jones died in the M62 crash today . The minibus, which was carrying around 20 passengers, turned onto its side after leaving the main carriageway and going up a sliproad when it collided with a Farmfoods lorry driving in the same direction. Several of the injured passengers . were flown to hospital and six were described as being in a serious . condition. The driver of the lorry, believed to be local, was arrested . at the scene. Miss Jones was in her first year at Leeds University studying to become a nurse. A school friend, who studied A-Level  dance with Bethany at St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School & Sixth Form in West Yorkshire, told the Mail: 'She was an amazingly talented singer, actress and dancer. She was so lovely and had a smile for everyone. 'She will be greatly missed.' According to a neighbour of Miss Firth, who did not want to be named, Stefanie is in critical condition suffering from spinal injuries while her fiance's mother is in intensive care. The neighbour said: 'Stef was so excited for this hen do. 'She's getting married in a couple of weeks and she was really looking forward to spending the weekend in Liverpool celebrating with her friends. 'I heard the news and my heart just sank. 'I knew they would be travelling on the M62 and my gut feeling was that it was them involved in the crash. 'We know the same people and it was a mutual friend who told me it was them. Wreckage: The minibus can be seen on its side. It appears to have collided with the lorry some distance up the road and skidded onto the slip road (right) Horror scene: The wrecked car lies on its side. One woman was killed in the collision . Horror: An emergency worker stands by the damaged vehicle and debris litters the carriageway after the crash. A traffic light warning sign has been knocked down . 'I've heard that Stef is in a critical condition with spine injuries and her fiance's mum is in intensive care. 'Another girl is in theatre with broken legs. 'I know a lot of the girls on the trip and they are all lovely people. 'It's a real tragedy and my heart goes out to all of them. 'Stef has been with her fiance, Gary, . for years and they are a lovely couple. I imagine this will have a . devastating impact on them and their wedding. 'They are great neighbours and are so friendly to everyone round here.' The neighbour said that she many of the girls have been friends since school and believes Gary has gone to the hospital. A South Elmsall resident has spoken . of her shock having seeing the 'laughing and giggling' hen party getting . onto the minibus yesterday morning. Doreen Gray, 70, was doing her . shopping in the town and saw the women getting onto the minibus around . 11am opposite the bus station. Wreckage: Emergency workers at the scene of the crash which had a devastating impact on the minibus . Crash scene: The accident happened on the M62 at junction 32 westbound at around 11.30am on Friday . Collision: The M62 remained closed after the two vehicles collided, and debris was strewn across the road . She said: 'I saw them all laughing and giggling and I thought to myself they are in for a fun weekend. 'They were all in great spirits so it's devastating to hear what has happened.' Emergency services - including six air . ambulances - were called at 11.30am on Friday to junction 32 of the M62 after the . crash near the Xscape leisure park, at Pontefract. Speaking at the scene Chief Inspector . Mark Bownass, head of West Yorkshire Police's roads policing unit, confirmed one woman had been killed. 'We believe the minibus at this time was heading to a hen party in Liverpool,' he said. 'Sadly within this accident there has been one fatality.' Speaking . close to where the crash happened, Alice Taylor, 31, described the . scene when she arrived moments after. 'When we stopped there were . police, . fire and ambulance services on the scene and a lot more have come since. 'There are two fire trucks right in front of me, a serious incident van . and a number of ambulances. 'The . air ambulance have been back and forth and we have seen people taken . away on trolleys from the scene. We have been sat here for around two . hours now while the emergency services work. 'The injured all seem to have been taken away and police have been taking measurements on the road.' Wreckage: Firefighters work near the spot where the crash happened. The mangled minibus can be seen in the background . Minibus: This is the minibus which was involved in the crash flipped on its side at the edge of the motorway . Wreckage: The damaged minibus on the M62. One woman has died and 20 others have been injured . Further back in the traffic was chartered accountant Pritpal Singh, . 28, from Leeds who was travelling back to his office on the M62 westbound . when the accident happened. He said: 'It was about 11.30am, I was going in . the same direction as the accident, the westbound carriageway. It was . effectively gridlocked from 11.30am onwards. 'By noon everyone had shut off their . engines and started walking around on the road. By 2-2.30pm three . quarters of the cars and lorries were empty. 'I was about a third of a mile back . from where the accident was, I got out and walked up to the scene. There . were probably about 10-15 ambulances, as many police cars, several fire . engines. 'In the midst of all the emergency vehicles I could just about see the scene of the accident. 'I could see a minibus which was on . its side. It had quite a severe amount of damage on the right hand side. The lorry which had collided with it was on the main motorway.' Paramedics said they had treated 20 people were treated at the scene and taken to hospital. Chief Inspector Bownass appealed for any witnesses to contact police on 101, as well as any family members who may have any concerns. Six air ambulances were called to the scene but four were actually used by emergency crews who came to treat casualties. Scene: The minibus turned onto its side after leaving the main carriageway and going up a sliproad when it collided with the Farmfoods lorry . Collision scene: Police and paramedics work at the scene of the accident. One woman was killed as she made her way to Liverpool for a hen do . Lorry crash: The driver of this farmfoods lorry has been arrested following the crash . Crash scene: The minibus can be seen on its side on the hard shoulder, and a farm foods lorry that was involved is up in front . Yvette . Cooper, MP for nearby Pontefract and Castleford, Tweeted yesterday: 'Awful news of scale of crash on M62 nr Pontefract - thoughts . with those involved and emergency services working hard to help.' Dr David Macklin from Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: 'The crews as you can imagine faced a very difficult scene with multiple seriously injured people. 'They are trained to respond to those sorts of incidents, they reacted in a manner in which I would expect them to.' He praised the 'excellent and professional response' of ambulance crews. Members of the public also helped to give first aid. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said that firefighters had remarked that the crash was 'the worst they had seen in a number of years'. 'The crews that arrived described to me a very difficult scene, some of them saying it was the worst they'd seen in a number of years and some very experienced fire officers have been attending this scene. 'However, they very quickly got to work and brought in a range of equipment including cutting and lifting equipment to effect as quick a rescue as we could of those casualties who were still in the vehicle.' Police confirmed an off-duty officer was the first person to report the accident and had stayed at the scene to help. Press conference: Members of the emergency services hold a press conference at scene of the road accident . Emergency: Six air ambulances - including this one - were called to the scene and made multiple trips to hospitals with all the passengers . Emergency operation: Police and fire services work on the scene on the M62 in West Yorkshire . Wreckage: The damaged vehicle lies on its side as police accident investigators look for evidence pointing to how the crash happened . Crash scene: Debris can be seen on the carriageway after the accident which left 25 people injured . Accident: The air ambulance can be seen landing (centre) as paramedics treat the injured at the scene of the crash today. Picture provided by Alice Taylor . A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: 'We received an emergency call at 11.31 today to reports of a serious collision between a mini-coach and an HGV at junction 32 of the M62, close to Castleford, West Yorkshire. 'Due to the scale of the incident we enacted our Major Incident Plan and dispatched a significant number of resources to the scene including ambulances, our Hazardous Area Response Team, doctors and air ambulances. 'Ambulance clinicians provided treatment to patients at the scene and worked closely with emergency service colleagues.  Final confirmation of casualties is 20 patients who were treated and transported to hospital and one fatality. Seven of the casualties are considered to have serious injuries. 'Our thoughts are with all those involved and their families. Thank you to all of our staff and emergency service colleagues for their help at this incident.' Emergency: Two air ambulances can be seen on the carriageway as the injured are ferried to hospital . Huge operation: A fleet of Yorkshire Ambulance Service vehicles on the scene. A spokesman confirmed that 25 people had been taken to hospital .

Stefanie Firth named locally as bride-to-be who was injured in crash . Beth Jones, 18, named as friend who died after collision . 20 people injured and one killed in horror crash near Pontefract . Minibus was carrying women to Liverpool for a hen do . Driver is arrested over the crash as police investigation begins .

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A woman who claims to be the world's oldest person has allegedly celebrated her 127th birthday. Luo Meizhen lives with her only son, who she reportedly gave birth to at the age of 61, in Bama, south China's Guangxi province. She was born on July 9, 1885 in the Chinese lunar calendar, which this year fell on August 25 in the international calendar. That would make her 127 - five years older than the verified oldest person who ever lived. Survivor: Luo Meizhen, pictured with her son, claims to be a staggering 127 years old, an age that, if verified, would make her the oldest person to have ever lived . Jeanne Calment, 1875 - 1997, 122 years and 164 days, France . Sarah Knauss, 1880 - 1999, 119 years and 97 days, U.S. Lucy Hannah, 1875 - 1993, 117 years and 248 days, U.S. Marie-Louise Meilleur, 1880 - 1998, 117 years and 230 days, Canada . María Capovilla, 1889 - 2006, 116 years and 347 days, Ecuador . Tane Ikai, 1879 - 1995, 116 years and 175 days, Japan . Elizabeth Bolden, 1890 - 2006, 116 years and 118 days, U.S. Record-breaker? Luo lives in Bama in south China's Guangxi province and was reportedly born on July 9, 1885 . At a birthday party held in her honour Luo ate a bowl of rice, two slices of pork, a piece of duck meat and chicken, and two pieces of cake. Bama County is famous in China for the longevity of its residents. The 2000 census recorded 74 centenarians, a surprisingly large number considering the total population is only 238,000. The ratio of centenarians there is 30.8 per 100,000, far exceeding the international standard of 25 per 100,000 for 'hometowns of longevity' - centenarian-clustered areas recognised by the International Natural Medicine Society. Lou's claim to be 127 is likely to be met with a large dose of scepticism. The verified oldest person in the world turned 116 just last month. Birthday girl: Luo celebrates her special day last month with her family and friends . Make a wish: Luo's son helps her cut her 127th birthday cake . Besse Cooper, from Monroe, Georgia, rang in her 117th year of life on August 26, surrounded by friends and family at the nursing home where she now lives. When asked about her secret to long life, Mrs Cooper told Guinness World Records: 'I mind my own business and I don't eat junk food.' She was born on August 26, 1896, in Sullivan, Tennessee and moved to Georgia in 1917. Besse has 12 grandchildren and a slew of great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. The verified oldest person to have ever lived was Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who was born in 1875 and died in 1997 aged 122 years and 164 days old. Good times: Luo shares a joke with her son and a young member of the family . Feast: Luo and some younger members of her clan pose for a photo .

Luo Meizhen lives with her only son in Bama, in China's Guangxi province . She claims to have been born on July 9, 1885 . Verified oldest person to have ever lived died at 122 .

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By . Neil Sears . PUBLISHED: . 19:29 EST, 29 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:25 EST, 29 October 2012 . 'Off-payroll': Paula Higson, head of IPSA . The head of the watchdog monitoring MPs’ expenses is being paid up to £169,000 a year in an ‘off-payroll’ deal allowing her to reap huge tax benefits, it can be revealed. Paula Higson, acting chief executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), earns the equivalent of up to £169,000 a year not through a normal salary, but through her private limited company. Ipsa, set up in 2009 in the wake of the MPs’ parliamentary expenses scandal, states that its main duty is ‘to serve the interests of the public’. However, it pays Mrs Higson in a deal allowing her to save thousands of pounds in national insurance and income tax – while Ipsa cuts its own national insurance payouts. Earlier this year Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander condemned similar ‘off-payroll’ arrangements saying they aided ‘tax avoidance’. Mrs Higson, who runs a private consultancy business, declined an opportunity to outline her tax payments. Ipsa also refused to give more details – even though its own website details staff expenses as small as a a ‘fruit basket’ worth £20. Mrs Higson is already familiar with ‘off-payroll’ deals. After leaving her last salaried job, earning £110,000 a year as chief operating officer at NHS Direct, she switched to working on contract at the same employer for £132,000 a year. The arrangement would have slashed her own national insurance and income tax liability. Miss Higson, who lives in a £1million house in Twickenham, west London, also appears to be continuing to be available for other work  while being paid to monitor MPs’ expenses, with her website fully operational. 'Contractor': Mrs Higson joined Ipsa in July this year as acting Chief Executive . Condemning: Earlier this year Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander spoke out about similar 'off-payroll' arrangements saying they aided 'tax avoidance' Last night angry MPs spoke out over the arrangement. Tory MP Rob Wilson, who campaigns against off-payroll deals in the public sector, said: ‘It is scandalous if an organisation charged with upholding the integrity of the MPs’ expenses system is itself paying people involved in tax avoidance.’ Former Labour minister Tom Harris said: ‘It is shocking if Ipsa is paying anyone a penny towards any form of tax avoidance.’ Mrs Higson joined Ipsa in July this year after Andrew McDonald, its chief executive – who is paid  £110,000 a year through a normal salary arrangement – required cancer treatment. She is paid £650 a day through her private limited company for 50 days’ work over four months – the equivalent of up to £169,000 a year. Mrs Higson said in a statement: ‘In the two years I’ve been running a small business, I have paid the taxes I should. 'I have not carried out any proactive marketing while I’ve been doing work for Ipsa. For a 50-day contract, I am not going to close my website.’ An Ipsa spokesman said: ‘Mrs Higson is being paid as a contractor, not an employee, to provide 50 days of cover. 'The appointment complies with the Treasury’s guidelines for interim staff.’

Ipsa was set up in 2009 in the wake of the . MPs' parliamentary expenses scandal 'to . serve the interests of the public' Paula Higson acting chief executive, earns the equivalent of up to £169,000 a year through her private limited company .

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An artist was forced to have 25 stitches in each of her eyes after they both burst - with one splitting during a driving lesson. Liz Hodgkinson, from Mold in Wales, was driving along a dual carriageway with her driving instructor when she began to suffer pain and having problems with her sight. After being took back home, Miss Hodgkinson was then rushed to hospital where consultants discovered that her cornea had split and diagnosed her with Keratoconus, a degenerative eye disorder. Liz Hodgkinson, who was diagnosed with Keratoconus, a degenerative eye condition, after one of her eyeballs burst during a driving lesson . The 30-year-old explained: 'It was painful, but I just thought I had something in my eye. 'We were on the A55 dual carriageway at the time, so the instructor told me to get off at the next slip road. He took over the pedals and I kept steering as well as I could. 'The hospital patched me up and told me how to keep it clean.' Miss Hodgkinson then had surgery on her left eye and was still recovering from the first operation when her right eye then burst five months later. After having surgery on her left eye, five months later her right eyeball also split, meaning she had to have 25 stitches in each eye . She recalled: 'The second time I was watching a film. 'The consultants were stunned - it was the most severe case they had ever seen.' She has since had cornea transplants in both eyes and was given 25 stitches in each eyeball during operations that each lasted for three and a half hours at Abergele Eye Hospital. The artist added: 'Fortunately I was under general anaesthetic, otherwise I think I would have had a panic attack. 'It was quite an embroidery project for them.' Most of the stitches have been removed but she now has four stitches in each eye, which may be left in place permanently. Her condition is genetic and her mother and brother are both affected and they believe her great-grandfather, who used to wear an eye patch, also suffered from it. Experts believe the degenerative disorder, which causes the front of the eyeball to thin and bend out of shape, affects between one in 500 and one in 2,000 people, but difficulties with diagnosis make it hard to give an accurate estimate. The condition can cause distorted vision, including multiple images and streaking, as well as sensitivity to light, and is usually diagnosed in teenagers. Miss Hodgkinson explained: 'I knew it could run in the family, so I was always aware of it, but I never realised my eye could actually burst. Most of the stitches have now been removed and the 30-year-old now has four stitches in each eye, which may be left in place permanently. She is pictured after having surgery on her left eye . Miss Hodgkinson has now had to re-learn her art techniques and adapt her style of painting after her vision was affected by her condition . 'My mum Sue suffered with the condition for 25 years, whereas for me, it happened out of the blue.' As a professional artist, the 30-year-old depends on her eyesight to earn a living and has had to adapt her style of work. She mostly works in oils and paints in the traditional Venetian style, which involves huge attention to detail. 'I am not able to see as well as I could and to some extent, I have had to re-learn my techniques and adapt my style', she explained . 'I would not trust myself with portraits anymore because of the finer features of the faces.' She now focuses on landscapes and has recently opened the Moss Piglet Art Gallery, in Ruthin, north Wales, with her friend Rachel Ilsley, who specialises in jewellery. Keratoconus is a condition which causes the cornea in the eye to progressively thin, meaning a cone-shaped bulge develops. It is a genetic disorder and is more common in people with asthma and Down's Syndrome. The thinning and the change in shape of the cornea means the eye is often unable to focus and can therefore impair a person's vision. If it is diagnosed early, treatment can include wearing glasses or contact lenses to correct vision. In more severe cases, a cornea transplant may be needed. Source: NHS Choices .

Liz Hodgkinson, 30, was having a driving lesson when her eyeball burst . The artist was on the A55 dual carriageway when she began to suffer pain . Was rushed to hospital and it was discovered that her cornea had split . She was also diagnosed with Keratoconus, a degenerative eye disorder . Underwent surgery and but five months later her other eyeball burst . Received cornea transplants and had 25 stitches in each of her eyes . Her vision has been affected but it hasn't stopped her working as an artist .

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Chris Robshaw led his England team-mates through their final preparations for the top-of-the-table RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland on the Aviva Stadium pitch on Saturday morning. The England skipper took charge of the captain's run as the unbeaten red rose side completed their last session before Sunday's 4pm showdown between the competition's two unbeaten sides. England surprised Wales at the Millennium Stadium with a 21-16 win in the first round of fixtures before seeing off Italy at Twickenham - and head coach Stuart Lancaster wants his side to draw inspiration from the win in Cardiff on what will be another atmospheric occasion in Dublin. Chris Robshaw (right) leads his England team-mates out for their final training session at the Aviva Stadium . Robshaw took charge of the session and was out issuing instructions as part of the captain's run . The England team warm-up in the surroundings of the Aviva Stadium that will be packed come Sunday . Sunday's match is the biggest of the 2015 Championship but Robshaw and Lancaster both know that if England finish as victors they will have a clear sight of the title with home games against Scotland and France remaining, and a potential Grand Slam. Ireland start as marginal favourites but England, who have recalled wing Jack Nowell and full-back Alex Goode, will draw on their victory at the Millennium Stadium for inspiration. 'Dublin is similar to Cardiff. History tells you it's a very difficult place to go and win,' Lancaster said. Robshaw leads the way by spraying out a pass on the pristine pitch at the Aviva on Saturday morning . Jack Nowell has been recalled to the side on the wing and he takes a catch in this picture . There was plenty of catching practice at the Aviva for George Ford (left) and Alex Goode (right) Head coach Stuart Lancaster looks on from a distance, hoping that England can match their win over Wales . 'Sometimes when you're playing against Irish teams you feel like you're playing against 16 or 17 because of the energy that they bring. It will be as difficult a game as we've had in a long time.' England turned around a 16-8 half-time deficit at the Millennium in January and Lancaster hopes they can replicate the second-half showing on Sunday. 'It would be nice to repeat what we did in Cardiff, especially the second half,' he said. 'One of the keys to that night was that we had a strong sense of belief we could win there, but the players still needed to deliver and they did that. Nowell catches a ball during training as England went through the paces in their final session before Sunday . Jonathan Joseph has been superb for England in the Championship so far and will hope to keep up his form . Ford was getting used to the pitch - and he could be key with the game two years ago being decided by kicks . 'We need to have the same sense of belief, which we do, going into Sunday, but ultimately it will come down to the 80 minutes. 'Belief has to be built on some sort of foundation and the foundations laid in the last two weeks with wins against Wales and Italy have been excellent. 'That's why it's such a fascinating game because Ireland have been in the same position. I'd be very surprised if either team weren't ready for this game. 'The margins between the teams will be very small. It will be decided on key moments.' Joseph runs with the ball as England finalise their moves for Sunday afternoon's top-of-the-table clash . Ford kicks the ball upfield as his team-mates watch on and prepare to chase in Dublin on Saturday . Ben Youngs whips a pass out of a ruck as England's pack made their final preparations at the Aviva . England know that a win in Dublin will put them two home wins away from Grand Slam glory .

England face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in the RBS 6 Nations on Sunday . Captain Chris Robshaw led his team-mates in their final training session . Head coach Stuart Lancaster wants a performance like one against Wales .

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Hundreds of motorcyclists dressed up in festive fancy-dress took part in a charity drive yesterday. The bikers hit the road dressed up as Santa, elves, and even a Christmas dinner, on rides kitted out with fairy lights, tinsel and Rudolph noses. Charity Santa’s On A Bike attracted up to . 600 riders on 400 vehicles travelling in convoy through Bristol to . raise money for Children’s Hospice South West. Scroll down for video . Speedy Santas: Nearly 600 Santa Claus took part in the charity motorbike race . The fancy-dress charity ride has been an annual event since 2004 and it is organised by Rolls Royce worker Will Brown. Speaking to The Bristol Post before . the event he said: ‘We know there are people coming from . Birmingham, Swindon and Lyme Regis to join in. ‘I think it's because we're the only . one in the South West and we are inclusive – we have teenagers with . their L-plates and we have pensioners on bikes that are older than me. Christmas charity: The convoy of Santas ride through Bristol on their way to bring holiday cheer to Children's Hospice South West . Hell's Angel: A female rider dressed as an angel takes the lead of the long line of fellow bikers dressed in red for the children's hospice . Unusual outfits: One man dressed up as a Christmas dinner - complete with Christmas pudding outfit and a turkey on his helmet - and a couple on a purple bike had a Christmas tree attached to their ride . Christmas tradition: Santa's On A Bike has been helping the Children's Hospice South West since 2004 . Santa's big sleigh: A rider in full beard with a festive mascot attached to his three-wheel bike . The 52-year-old from Bradley Stoke emphasized the event's focus on helping the children and raising money for the hospice. ‘We ask the hospice who will be there and what presents the children would like, to make sure we get things that are suitable. ‘It's a really emotional day. We've . had occasions when we've bought presents on a Monday and the child has . died on the Thursday and there is another child there on the Friday.’ Last year the Santa’s On A Bike raised a record £10,000 and hope to match the figure. Riding Rudolph: One motorbike fan went all the way and turned the bike into Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer . Cheerful crowd: Santas, elves, angels and other little helpers all gathered to deliver toys and raise money for charity yesterday in Bristol . Sleigh upgrade: Bet Rudolph was more than pleased about his new ride . Cheerful sight: Onlookers were cheering on the Santas as they travelled through the urban areas of Bristol . Several charity events involving . Father Christmas took place this weekend, including the annual Santa Dash . in Liverpool earlier today and an American ski resort filling its . slopes with revellers in red. The Santa Dash is a Liverpool Christmas tradition with a twist, as it sees many runners forgo the traditional red suit for a . blue one. The reason for the 'Blue Christmas' is one of loyalty, as supporters of Everton FC refuse to run in the colours . of rival football team Liverpool FC. This year's run, which saw 8,000 people take part, raised money for ITV's Text Santa appeal which is supporting six UK charities, including Age UK and Marie Curie Cancer Care. Dashing: Runners dressed in red (and blue) Father Christmas costumes take part in the annual five kilometer Santa Dash in Liverpool . At a U.S. ski-resort in Maine, nearly 300 skiers and snowboarders in full Santa gear gathered for the 13th annual Santa Sunday. The event, held at the Sunday River resort in Newry, raises money for the local Rotary Club’s holiday toy drive. Skiing Santa: Nearly 300 Santas took to the Maine slopes to raise money for a local toy drive . Let it snow: Four Santas with snowboards and skis get ready in the lift at the ski-resort in Newry, Maine .

Nearly 600 bikers dressed up as Santa Claus to raise money for charity . Father Christmas charity events were held all over the world this weekend, including Liverpool and Maine, U.S.

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Washington (CNN) -- Union leaders, the White House and congressional Democrats have agreed to limit the reach of a tax on high-end health insurance plans that would help pay for a proposed overhaul of the U.S. health care system, union leaders involved in the talks said Thursday. The proposed thresholds for taxing health plans will be raised from $23,000 to $24,000 for families and from $8,500 to $8,900 for individuals, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters. Dental and vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he said. Health plans covered by union contracts would not be subject to the 40 percent tax until 2018 -- a transition period union leaders said is comparable to those offered to other private insurers. The threshold for taxing other plans will be adjusted by 1 percent above the annual rate of inflation, and plans involving large numbers of women or the elderly will get breaks as well, Trumka said. The changes will reduce the $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years by about $60 billion, he said. And union plans would be able to enter the health care exchanges set up under the bill in 2017, he said. The tax on what have been dubbed "Cadillac" health care plans is a key feature of the Senate health care bill, but it has drawn opposition from Democrats in the House of Representatives and from unions. President Obama, who has made health care his top priority in Congress, supports the excise tax as a way to contain the rise of health-care costs. Trumka and other top union officials have held a series of talks at the White House for the past three days as congressional negotiators tried to merge the two bills together. He warned earlier this week that congressional Democratic candidates could risk losing labor's support if the final bill included a tax on high-cost health plans. But he said that despite all-but-total Republican opposition in both houses of Congress, supporters of health care reform stood "on the threshold of a milestone." "We don't look at this as the end of our fight for real reform, but another step along the way in the quest for real reform," Trumka said. Labor leaders said the changes they negotiated would help not only union members, who make up about 12 percent of the U.S. work force, but all working families. But Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, dismissed the plan as "a sweetheart deal." "Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to this bill," he said. "Another sweetheart deal isn't going to turn that around." A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday found much stronger support for the financing plan in the House bill, which would impose a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on incomes higher than $500,000 for individuals or $1 million for couples. The survey found 61 percent of the public favors the House provision, while the Senate bill drew 29 percent support. Trumka told reporters that leading Democrats were behind the compromise. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said she had not seen anything in writing Thursday evening. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, a leading opponent of the excise tax, said the proposal was more fair than the current Senate bill. "However, the devil is in the details, and I will reserve judgment on any compromise until I have had the time to review the proposal," he said in a written statement. Obama did not directly address the plan as he addressed reporters ahead of a House Democratic Caucus meeting Thursday night. But he dared Republicans to run in the November midterm elections on a platform of rolling back "something that Washington has been talking about since Teddy Roosevelt was president." "If Republicans want to campaign against what we've done by standing up for the status quo and for insurance companies over American families and businesses, that is a fight I want to have. If their best idea is to return to the bad policies and the bad ideas of yesterday, they are going to lose that argument." Democratic negotiators planned to return to the White House late Thursday. A senior leadership aide said Democratic leaders and White House officials want to send the bulk of the health care package to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate soon -- even as soon as the end of this week. The aide said the controversial issues of abortion and immigration are not likely to be resolved by then, but because they would have no impact on the cost of the bill, negotiators could work out those details separately. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said negotiators are working to get agreement on the overall health care package by the end of this week. "That's been the goal. But it's a goal, it's not a deadline," Hoyer said. CNN's Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett, Lisa Desjardins and Matt Smith contributed to this report.

AFL-CIO chief says threshold for taxing high-end health insurance plans will rise . Dental, vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he says . He says $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years to be cut by $60 billion . Obama challenges Republicans to run in 2010 against changes to health system .

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Forgotten man Gabriel Obertan has insisted he never doubted himself after easing the pressure on beleaguered Newcastle boss Alan Pardew with a priceless winner. The 25-year-old winger secured a 1-0 victory over the Foxes with a decisive 71st-minute strike which underlined both the talent he has and the fact that it has remained largely unfulfilled during his time on Tyneside. But former the Manchester United midfielder revealed he never lost faith in himself as he redoubled his efforts to to persuade Pardew he still had a role to play at St James' Park after it appeared that his days in the North East were over. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Gabriel Obertan score a fine goal for Newcastle United . Gabriel Obertan of Newcastle scores the game's only goal against Leicester City at St James' Park . Obertan scores the winning goal past Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel on Saturday afternoon . Newcastle United celebrate a priceless goal and Obertan (centre) insists he never doubted his own ability . Obertan told NUFC TV: 'I have always been confident in myself and my ability, so it might be a surprise for some people, but not for me. I have been grinding quite a while for this and it's just a great feeling at the moment. 'I just kept on working hard. I know the most important thing is working when people don't see you. 'It's easy to train when you have got the coaches patting you on the back, but these moments when you are by yourself are the moments when you really have to work hard and dig deep.' Obertan appeared to be surplus to requirements at St James' as Pardew re-shaped his squad during the summer, and he was not even on the plane when the Magpies headed for New Zealand as part of their pre-season preparations. However, he was the toast of the Toon on Saturday evening after finally ending the club's wait for a first Barclays Premier League win of the campaign at the eighth attempt, in the process sparing them from a worst ever start. Obertan celebrates securing a precious three points with his Newcastle team-mates on Saturday afternoon . Obertan: 'I just kept on working hard. I know the most important thing is working when people don't see you' On an eventful day on Tyneside - there are rarely any other kind - Obertan and his team-mates had to wait an hour to set about their task after the dressing panels surrounding a newly-erected giant TV screen were loosened by the wind, requiring a speedy repair job by hastily-summoned engineers. Thereafter, it proved far from straightforward as stubborn Leicester defence and sub-standard finishing kept the scoreline unchanged until 19 minutes from time. Leicester full-back Richie de Laet strode forward and unleashed a long-range shot which cannoned back off midfielder Jack Colback and the ball dropped kindly for Papiss Cisse, who fed Obertan on the left. The winger, as he had done repeatedly during the game, exploited the space ahead of him at pace and cut inside before setting himself and blasting an unstoppable shot past keeper Kasper Schmeichel and into the bottom corner, his first goal for almost two years and just his third for the club. Obertan's strike prompted a huge sigh of relief, but it took a determined rearguard action to hang on to the points as Tim Krul denied Danny Drinkwater and Steven Taylor blocked substitute Anthony Knockaert's last-ditch effort. Obertan and his team-mates had to wait an hour to set about their task after problems with the scoreboard . The dressing panels surrounding a newly-erected giant TV screen were loosened by the wind in Newcastle . Miss what happened to the scoreboard? CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY . Obertan said: 'It's great. I have been waiting for a while to score at St James'. It was a tough season for me last year. I'm glad I get to be back in the team and be useful. 'It was tough, but we persevered and we had the patience and it paid off. We worked really hard in training and it was a tough situation. It was great to get the three points and we get a breather for the next game.' Leicester boss Nigel Pearson was frustrated by defeat, but confident his promoted team will improve as the season goes on. He said: 'I am very pleased with the group of players I have got. I know that they are very disappointed with aspects of certain performances, but we have given, for the most part this season so far, a very good account of ourselves and I think we are very capable. 'We will get better, so that's just part and parcel of dealing with the demands of a league which requires quality on lots of different levels.' Obertan admits it's been a 'tough' period at St James' Park for him personally and the team in general .

Gabriel Obertan scored the winner in the 71st minute against Leicester . The winger secured the 1-0 win after a rough period in the North East . Obertan says he never lost faith while apparently surplus to requirements . 'I have always been confident in myself and my ability,' says Obertan .

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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:45 EST, 9 August 2013 . A mother who thought an indentation in her breast was a result of an ill-fitting bra ha spoken of her devastation after her GP told her it was a symptom of breast cancer. Lisa Roberts, 37, casually mentioned a mark on her breast at a routine appointment with her doctor. But doctors immediately sent her to Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, for a scan and biopsy, which revealed she had breast cancer and three tumours on her spine. When mother-of-two Lisa Roberts casually mentioned a problem she thought was caused by a badly fitted bra to her doctor, she assumed it was nothing serious. But within days, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and given the devastating news that she also had three tumours on her spine . Ms Roberts story has touched dozens of people who have donated £12,000 to help pay for possible treatment in America. And Ms Roberts hopes more lives will . be saved by her one-woman crusade to urge women, and men, to regularly . check their breasts for the early signs of cancer. Ms Roberts, of Banbury Avenue, Oswaldtwistle in East Lancashire, was diagnosed in January and is still undergoing treatment. At . a routine doctor’s appointment, Ms Roberts mentioned an indentation in . her breast which she assumed was caused by an ill-fitting bra. But she was immediately transferred . to Royal Blackburn Hospital for a scan and biopsy and before doctors . even had her results, a consultant told her that they were ‘99.9 per . cent sure it was cancer’. Ms . Roberts said: ‘There’s a lot of misinformation out there and even . people that do check their breasts tend to think that all they need to . look out for are lumps and that’s not the case. ‘I hadn’t felt ill and had no other symptoms at all so it’s really important that both men and women know what to look out for.’ Ms Roberts said: 'There's a lot of misinformation out there and even people that do check their breasts tend to think that all they need to look out for are lumps and that's not the case. I hadn't felt ill and had no other symptoms at all so it's really important that both men and women know what to look out for.' A week later, the diagnosis was confirmed and a private PET scan showed the tumours in her spine. She was told her condition was ‘incurable’ but she said: ‘They haven’t said that it’s terminal and I’m hopeful that with treatment, I will be able to live to see my children grow up. ‘You have down days and I do look at my children sometimes and it all just hits me. ‘I wonder how long I’ll be able to tuck them in bed and it is heartbreaking. ‘I’ve been honest with them about everything though, and they are happy and healthy and an absolute credit to me. Ms Roberts hopes more lives will be saved by her mission to urge women, and men, to regularly check their breasts for the early signs of cancer . ‘In spite of everything they are going through, they are still smiling and still doing brilliantly at school. ‘They make me so proud and want to fight to be there for them.’ When a group of lively friends created a sponsored walk event on Facebook to raise money to send her and her children on holiday, they were inundated with requests from people who wanted to get involved and donate money. A committee was formed and an official campaign was launched in March, aiming to raise awareness of breast cancer and raise money for possible treatments. Ms Roberts has had chemotherapy and this week underwent a mastectomy, but the tumours in her spine will prove harder to treat. She was put on a course of medication which would increase her life expectancy but the treatment was stopped when it was found to be affecting her heart. To date, Ms Roberts’ Kick Cancer Campaign has raised more than £12,000 which will be put towards specialist treatment in America. Lynda Corben, committee leader for the Kick Cancer Campaign said: ‘She is still recovering from her surgery at the moment but when she’s feeling better, we are going to look at arranging the trip to Houston, Texas for a consultation.’ Ms Corben’s husband was diagnosed with cancer in April and had his oesophagus removed on the same day Ms Roberts had her operation. Ms Corben said: ‘Lisa had always said to my husband that she would hold his hand all the way through and they really did. They were in beds next to each other in intensive care. It was unbelievable. ‘She is such a courageous, inspirational and selfless girl. As soon as she found out about my husband, she said “you use the money”. ‘Of course, we never would but that’s just what she’s like. Always thinking of how she can help others.’ Ms Roberts added: ‘I never expected anything like this and I would never have asked for money from anyone - but if there is one life that this campaign can save, then it’s worth it. ‘I tell all my friends all the time and I’m sure they get sick of me, but I just can’t say it enough - check, check, check!’

Lisa Roberts, 37, have developed an indentation on her breast . The mother-of-two, from East Lancashire, had no lumps or other symptoms . Said there is a lot of misinformation about early signs of breast cancer . Her friends have set up the Kick Cancer Campaign and have already raised £12,000 to help pay for her specialist treatment in the U.S.

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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 05:54 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:14 EST, 11 September 2013 . A convicted murderer who is serving a life sentence has admitted attacking the killer of five-year-old April Jones in a high-security jail. Juvinai Ferreira, 22, pleaded guilty to wounding Mark Bridger in Wakefield Prison when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court via video-link. Ferreira attacked the 47-year-old just months after Bridger was jailed for life for abducting and murdering April, in Machynlleth, Wales last year. Juvinai Ferreira (right) has admitted attacking Mark Bridger (left) just months after he was jailed for abducting and murdering April Jones in Wales last year . No details of the attack were given in court today and Ferreira will be sentenced on October 2. According to reports at the time of the attack, which happened on July 7, Bridger needed hospital treatment to a face wound after he was slashed with a makeshift knife. He was returned to Wakefield after his injury was stitched. On screen in court today, Ferreira, who is a convicted murderer and originally from Gambia, looked bored and propped his head up with his hand for most of the proceedings as he sat at a desk in prison clothes. At one point in the 20-minute hearing he asked one of his guards: 'I thought this was going to be quick?' After Judge Christopher Batty told him the case was going to be adjourned, Ferreira said to him: 'Can you just not sentence me? I can't keep coming back. Just give me anything and move on.' Bridger (left, leaving Mold Crown Court) was given a whole-life tariff by a judge in May for the abduction and murder of April Jones (right) Judge Batty told him he needed a . pre-sentence report to assess his level of dangerousness and decide . whether a second life term was appropriate. Ferreira was found guilty at Norwich Crown Court in 2009 of murdering Elaine Walpole in Dereham, Norfolk, in April 2008. At the time police said Ferreira moved to Dereham in 2007 with a relative after escaping civil war in Africa. He befriended 47-year-old Miss Walpole, an alcoholic who lived alone, after they met at a shop and she bought him cigarettes. Ferreira attacked the 47-year-old in Wakefield Prison (pictured) just months after Bridger was sentenced to life in jail . Prosecutors at the time suggested that Ferreira was 'sex-crazed'. Post-mortem tests showed that Miss Walpole, a former hotel worker who had three children, had been stabbed three times and bitten. Detectives and forensic experts spent nearly a year carrying out checks to show Ferreira was an adult as he said he was 16. Once it was proved he was an adult, Ferreira was given a life sentence and told he must serve at least 22 years before being considered for parole. Father-of-six Bridger snatched April near her home in Machynlleth. He was given a whole-life tariff by a judge in May at Mold Crown Court. The five-year-old's body has never been found.

Juvinai Ferreira, 22, pleaded guilty to wounding Mark Bridger in prison . He attacked him just months after Bridger was jailed for life . Bridger was jailed for abducting and murdering April Jones, 5, last year . Ferreira, who has already been jailed for life, is to be sentenced next month .

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The murderer of a mother-of-five stabbed to death while tending to her horses may have followed her for miles to the paddock where she was found, police said today. Penelope ‘Pennie’ Davis, 47, was discovered by her husband Pete . in a field last Tuesday in the New Forest near Beaulieu. Today police revealed they were looking for anyone seen acting suspiciously around the Sainsbury's branch where she worked in Blackfield, Hampshire, between 1pm and 3pm on the day she died. Scroll down for video . Death: Penelope Davis was found stabbed multiple times in a field near Beaulieu, Hampshire, last Tuesday . Investigation: The mother-of-five was tending to two of her horses when she was stabbed to death in daylight . Probing the incident: Specialist forensics police officers have carried out fingertip searches of the field . Detectives tonight arrested a man on suspicion of murder. The 36-year-old man was arrested in Southampton at 7.50pm and remains in police custody. A 22-year-old man . arrested on suspicion of murder and a 37-year-old man arrested on . suspicion of assisting an offender have both been released on police . bail pending further inquiries. Detective Superintendent Paul Barton, of Hampshire Police, . said: 'It’s been a week since Pennie was murdered and in that time we’ve . made significant progress with more than 200 officers and staff working . on the investigation. 'Since the start of the appeal we’ve received more than 230 messages from the public. 'Pennie had recently started renting out the field but not many people were aware of that. 'One . of our lines of inquiry therefore is the possibility she was followed . from Blackfield Sainsbury’s, where she’d been working that morning, to . the paddock by Leygreen Farm.' The farm was near the village of Beauleiu, which is four miles from the branch of Sainsbury's where the mother-of-five worked. Today . Mrs Davis' family spoke of how they will never know ‘how scared and how . alone she must have felt' as a £5,000 reward was issued for finding her . killer. Mr Davis and the . couple’s children, Sophie, 20, Alex, 19, Georgia, 18, Daniel, 14, and . Josef, 13, said the last week since the supermarket worker died of stab . wounds had been ‘long’ and ‘agonising’. Tributes: Family and friends left cards and flowers near the spot where the supermarket worker was killed . Tough time: Mrs Davis's husband, Pete (blue shirt), was emotional as he left a bouquet of flowers by the field . The family said in a statement: ‘We . had no idea how many lives she had touched, as we have been overwhelmed . by love and support. Despite this, the void in our hearts only continues . to grow. The police have . made progress, but there is still much more to be done. We only hope . that no other family should ever have to go through the ordeal that we . are currently facing. ‘No . other person deserves to ever have to go the way our poor mum and wife . did. We will never begin to understand how scared and how alone she must . have felt. ‘This is why we . are pleading for anybody with any information to come forward. Even if . you think it won’t make a difference, it might just be the call we were . waiting for.’ Following her . death, Mr Davis, their children and Mrs Davis’s parents visited the . paddock, leaving flowers with messages from each member of the family. Sadness: The victim's parents and her children have also visited the paddock to leave tributes to Mrs Davis . Location: Mrs Davis was found by her husband in a field just yards from Leygreen Farm, in the New Forest . Taking care: Police have also increased patrols in the area to offer reassurance to residents . Searching: Police were seen wading through a river next to the field in Hampshire as they looked for a weapon . Her . daughter Georgia left a note saying: 'Dearest mum, you were a goddess. I . swear I'll make you proud. I like to think you're sitting there, . watching on a cloud. You had so much more to give. ‘You . had so much more to do. But now I'll be your legacy. I'll do it all for . you. You climbed the highest mountains, you walked the longest plains, . you'll never be forgotten. Forever in our hearts. I love you to the moon . and back.' 'No other person deserves to ever have to go the way our poor mum and wife did. We will never begin to understand how scared and how alone she must have felt' Family of Penelope Davis . Crimestoppers offered a . £5,000 reward today for information leading to the arrest and conviction of . the people, or person, responsible for Mrs Davis’s brutal murder. Julia . Hughes, Regional Manager for Crimestoppers, said: 'We urgently need to . find whoever it is that committed this horrendous crime. 'Pennie’s family is totally bereft and need answers. We . would urge anyone with information to contact us anonymously, safe in . the knowledge that their identity will not be revealed.' Forensic officers have carried out fingertip searches of the . field and police have increased local patrols to offer reassurance to . residents.

Penelope Davis, 47, was found in field in Beaulieu, Hampshire, on Tuesday . She may have been followed for miles from Sainsbury's where she worked . Family: 'We'll never know how scared and how alone she must have felt' Husband and children say the last week has been 'long' and 'agonising' Two men aged 22 & 37 arrested over incident have been released on bail . Crimestoppers offer £5,000 reward for information leading to killer's arrest .

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(CNN) -- The oil disaster plaguing the Gulf of Mexico and our coastal states puts our desperate need for a new clean energy economy in stark relief. We need to move away from dirty, dangerous and deadly energy sources. We are pleased that the White House is now saying it will suspend any new offshore drilling while the explosion and spill are investigated, but there should be no doubt left that drilling will only harm our coasts and the people who live there. Taking a temporary break from offshore drilling is an important step, but it's not enough. We need to stop new offshore drilling for good, now. And then we need an aggressive plan to wean America from dirty fossil fuels in the next two decades. This BP offshore rig that exploded was supposed to be state-of-the-art. We've also been assured again and again that the hundreds of offshore drilling rigs along our beaches are completely safe. Now, we've seen workers tragically killed. We've seen our ocean lit on fire, and now we're watching hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic oil seep toward wetlands and wildlife habitat. This rig's well is leaking 210,000 gallons of crude every day, wiping out aquatic life and smothering the coastal wetlands of Louisiana and Mississippi. As the reeking slick spreads over thousands of square miles of ocean, it rapidly approaches the title of worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, even worse than 1989's Exxon Valdez oil spill. The well is under 5,000 feet of water, and it could take weeks or even months to cap it. This disaster could unfortunately happen at any one of the hundreds of drilling platforms off our coasts, at any moment. It could happen at the drilling sites that the oil industry has proposed opening along the beaches of the Atlantic Coast. Indeed, even before this spill, the oil and gas industry had torn apart the coastal wetlands of the Louisiana Bayou over the years. These drilling operations have caused Louisiana to lose 25 square miles of coastal wetlands, which are natural storm barriers, each year. Another view: Why it won't be easy to replace fossil fuels . And it's hardly just the environmental costs of oil spills that we have to worry about with offshore drilling. The threat to the people who work on these platforms has again become terribly clear. In fact, more than 500 fires on oil platforms in the Gulf have injured or killed dozens of workers in just the past four years, according to the federal Minerals Management Service. We don't need to pay this price for energy. We have plenty of clean energy solutions in place that will end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels, create good, safe jobs and breathe new life into our economy. One huge example came Thursday, when the Obama administration approved our country's first offshore wind farm. Our country has huge solar power potential as well. We can also save more oil through simple efficiency measures than could be recovered by new drilling on our coastlines. This oil spill changes everything. We have hit rock-bottom in our fossil fuel addiction. This tragedy should be a wake-up call. It's time to take offshore drilling off the table for good. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Brune.

Gulf spill can have devastating effect on wildlife and shoreline, says Michael Brune . He says we've been assured that oil drilling is completely safe . Brune: Workers killed, and spill could be nation's worst environmental disaster . He says U.S. needs moratorium on new drilling, plan to wean off fossil fuels .

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Mauro Icardi scored a hat-trick as Inter Milan trounced Sassuolo 7-0 in their second game of the Serie A season. Dani Osvaldo twice got his name on the scoresheet while Freddy Guarin and Croatian youngster Mateo Kovacic completed the rout. Walter Mazzari's side were a goal up within four minutes, Icardi's strike setting the tone for the one-sided game that would follow. Mauro Icardi scored a hat-trick for Inter Milan as they trounced Sassuolo 7-0 at the Giuseppe Meazza . Dani Osvaldo, on loan from Southampton, scored a brace - taking his inter tally to two in two . The Sassuolo defence always looked shaky and it left Icardi in acres of space on the half hour to control Hernanes' pass and curl into the bottom right corner from outside the area. It was then Osvaldo's turn to open his Inter account four minutes from half time after Dodo's initial shot was blocked by Consigli. Icardi completed his hat-trick eight minutes into the second half, with Kovacic again the provider and any hope Sassuolo had of keeping the scoreline down evaporated shortly afterwards when Berardi was dismissed. Guarin generously set up Osvaldo for the forward's second before getting on the scoresheet himself as Inter matched last season's result. Walter Mazzari's Inter side are now third in Serie A, two points behind Roma and Juventus . Colombian midfielder Freddy Guarin scored the seventh after unselfishly setting up Osvaldo before . The 28-year-old Osvaldo, on loan from Southampton, has already scored twice as many goals for Inter as he did during the entirety of his loan spell at Juventus last season. Inter move up to third in the table, two points behind Roma and Juventus, while Sassuolo drop down to 18th. Micah Richards joined Italian side Fiorentina as he continues his pursuit of first steam football, but unfortunately for the 26-year-old he was an unsued substitute as the Viola played out a goalless draw at home to Genoa. Sassuolo have now dropped down to 18th in the table after the first two games of the season . Micah Richards was an unused substitute as Fiorentina drew 0-0 at home to Genoa . Napoli were hoping for a timely boost after a poor start to the season. They lost a Champions League play-off to Athletic Bilbao and then struggled before scoring an injury-time goal for a 2-1 win at Genoa in its Serie A opener. Things seemed to be looking up when they was awarded a penalty in the 26th minute after Bostjan Cesar tripped Gonzalo Higuain. However, Chievo goalkeeper Francesco Bardi dove to his right to brilliantly save the Argentine's spot kick. Maxi Lopez hit the crossbar moments later and that proved to be a warning shot as he scored his first goal since February three minutes into the second half, finishing off a Chievo counter attack. There was better news for Lazio, who had started the season with a 3-1 defeat at Milan. Former Cesena players Antonio Candreva and Marco Parolo scored either side of halftime before Stefano Mauri capped a positive result in stoppage time. Sampdoria beat Torino 2-0 in the lunchtime kickoff and said it will donate half of the gate receipts to ALS research.

Inter Milan beat Sassuolo 7-0 in Serie A . Dani Osvaldo, on loan from Southampton, scored a brace . Mauro Icardi scored a hat-trick . Micah Richards an unused substitute for Fiorentina .

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A woman who was battered for refusing a thug's sexual advances took justice into her own hands and forced him to stand by a roadside with a sign reading: 'I beat women. Honk if I'm a scumbag.' Alisha Hessler, 20, from Tampa, Florida, persuaded Gabriel Urena to undergo the humiliating ordeal - during which he also wore a dunce's hat - in return for her dropping charges against him. 'I think it will teach him a lesson,' she told Fox 13. 'I think he'll think twice about doing it again.' Scroll down for video . Punished with humiliation: Gabriel Urena sits at a busy Tampa, Florida intersection after beating up a girl when she refused his sexual advances . Bruised and battered: 20-year-old Alisha Hessler went out clubbing with Urena and friends last Saturday night. When he started groping her she hit him and he responded by beating her up so bad she got a concussion . Hessler had never met Gabriel Urena . before last Saturday night, when he was invited to join a group of her . friends for a night out clubbing. By the end of the night, Hessler and Urena sat next to each other in the back seat of a car and he started groping her. The obvious choice: Urena avoided legal ramifications by going alone with Hessler's punishment . Heslser told him to stop, but he didn't listen so she hit him in defense. 'I did hit him first and then all of a sudden that's when he started beating me repeatedly, punching me until I had a broken nose and concussion,' Hessler told WFTS. A picture taken after the beating shows blood running out of her nose, with red marks all over her face. The following morning, Hessler filed a report with the Tampa police who recorded her side of the story and took her to the hospital for treatment. 'We responded to her home. She did . have visible injuries. The officer initiated a report for battery, and . rescue personnel transported her to a local hospital,' Tampa Police . spokeswoman Janelle McGregor told NBC Miami. But Hessler's legal case against Urena stopped when she read a remorseful message written on his Facebook page. 'Lastnight (sic) was a wake-up call. I seriously need change,' Urena wrote. Hessler challenged that statement by . crafting up an alternate punishment for Urena. If he sat outside at a . busy intersection for eight hours holding up a sign that says 'I beat . women' she wouldn't press charges. Avoiding legal ramifications, Urena took her up on that offer. In addition to holding up a sign that read 'I beat women. Honk if I'm a scumbag' Urena also wore a dunce cap. Sorry: The morning after the incident, Hessler found this remorseful message written on Urena's Facebook page . Citizen justice: Urena sat at the Florida intersection for eight hours holding a sign which read 'I beat women. Honk if I'm a scumbag'. He also wore a dunce cap. Hessler was nice and seems to have let him pass the time playing on his cell phone . Hessler thinks this punishment was more appropriate to Urena's crime, and says she didn't want him to go to jail for a year. While Hessler thinks she got justice for the beating, women's advocates and local police don't agree. Mindy Murphy, an advocate for battered women said the punishment trivializes a serious issue. Tampa police say Hessler shouldn't have taken the law into her own hands. They have tried several times to get in contact with Hessler, but she has not returned any of the calls - per her agreement with Urena. Trivialized: Local police and an abused women's activist believe Hessler shouldn't have taken the law into her own hands . Out of trouble: Police have tried to get in contact with Hessler to continue the legal process but she has not responded to their calls - holding up her end of the deal with Urena .

Gabriel Urena started groping 20-year-old Alisha Hessler after a night out clubbing . Hessler told Urena to stop and when he refused she hit him . Urena responded by beating her so hard, she got a concussion . Hessler planned on pressing charges against Urena but changed her mind after reading a remorseful message written on his Facebook page . Instead, Urena sat at a busy intersection for eight hours holding a sign that read 'I beat women' while wearing a dunce cap .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- It is one of the most notorious cold cases in recent memory. A 6-year-old girl, a child of beauty and privilege, was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado, on the day after Christmas 1996. The strangulation of JonBenet Ramsey is also among the coldest of cases. Twelve years have passed, and again it is Christmastime, the season of JonBenet's death. The investigation has taken many heartbreaking twists and turns, including a false confession and baseless suspicions cast for a time on the child's parents. After years of false starts, there are no solid leads. For many, the images of this tragic story are indelible: A doll-like child smiling flirtatiously at the camera in flamboyant costumes, heavy makeup and grown-up hairstyles parading on a beauty pageant stage. A tiny, lifeless body, dressed in long johns, found on the basement floor by her father. Watch how this case touched nearly everyone » . Just this past July, John and Patsy Ramsey were exonerated by police of having any role in their daughter's death. Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in June 2006. FBI lab results confirmed that a man, yet to be identified, touched JonBenet's long underwear. This so-called touch DNA also was found in JonBenet's underpants, mixed with the child's blood. Police believe the DNA belongs to the killer. They just don't know who he is. They are waiting for a match. From the beginning, police focused their attention on Patsy Ramsey, placing the entire family under what authorities later would admit was a cloud of suspicion. The investigators' working theory was that JonBenet's mother may have struck her in anger as punishment for bed-wetting, causing the little girl's death on Christmas night. Investigators theorized that a strangulation was then staged to direct suspicion toward an intruder or sexual predator. Patsy Ramsey told police she awoke early December 26 and found a two-page, handwritten ransom note on a back staircase. It said JonBenet had been kidnapped by a "small foreign faction" and that she'd be executed if the Ramseys did not pay a $118,000 ransom. The Ramseys checked JonBenet's room, discovered she was missing and immediately called 911. When police arrived, they suggested that John Ramsey and a family friend, Fleet White, search the house. Shortly afterward, Ramsey and White found JonBenet's body in a wine cellar in the basement. The child's body was wrapped in a blanket, with duct tape across her mouth and white cord wrapped around her neck and wrists. An autopsy showed the child had eaten pineapple shortly before she died. She'd been sexually assaulted, strangled by the cord and struck on the head. Crime scene photos show two small burn-type injuries on JonBenet's head. Private investigators Ollie Gray and John San Augustin, working as consultants on the case, said the burns are consistent with marks made with a "stun gun." Investigators also concluded that the paper the ransom note was written on came from a notepad in the Ramsey home, as did the broken paintbrush handle used to form the garrote. However, the sources for the cord and duct tape were not found anywhere in the home. Other nagging clues include an open basement window near where the child's body was found. A suitcase stood directly below the window, and appeared to have been used as a step. There was a scuff mark on the wall beneath the window. A footprint of a Hi-Tec hiking boot was found in the dust in the wine cellar and cannot be connected to anyone in the Ramsey family or their friends. Police say they were initially suspicious of the Ramseys because there were no footprints in the snow outside the house. Lou Smits, a lead police investigator on the case, resigned because, he said, the investigation "was misdirected and had developed tunnel vision, only focusing on the Ramseys as suspects and not following alternative leads." The contradictory facts have caused problems in the case. Many experts have said they believe Boulder police botched the investigation by failing to preserve the crime scene properly. When, for example, police arrived and directed John Ramsey to search his own home, Ramsey not only found his dead daughter but also picked her up and brought her upstairs, disturbing the crime scene. Police investigators, friends and family were allowed to walk in and out of the house freely, again contaminating evidence that could have been gathered. The District Attorney's Office has taken over the investigation, said spokeswoman Caroline French. "This case is still an open and active investigation," French said. Prosecutors seek tips and ask anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for JonBenet Ramsey's death to call 303-441-1636.

False suspicions, unsecured crime scene plague investigation from start . Ramsey family spends years under "cloud of suspicion" New touch DNA test cleared all family members earlier this year . Anyone with information is asked to call 303-441-1636 .

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By . Daniel Miller . It is known as the world's toughest team sport, where the players seem to spend more time embroiled in mass brawls and punch-ups than they do scoring goals. But as these adorable pictures show, even the brutal world of professional ice hockey can have its tender moments. When children of the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks players ventured onto the ice to celebrate their team's win, a fan of the losing Boston Bruins put rivalry aside to take their picture. Good sport: A Boston Bruins fan takes a photo of the children of the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks . The youngsters couldn't hide their delight after the Blackhawks snatched a dramatic 3-2 victory to seal their second Stanley Cup in just four seasons. But in a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, the Bruins' fan joined in with their celebrations and even took several victory snaps. Let's hope he sends them a copy. The children were later pictured parading around the ice waving Blackhawks flags. The Blackhawks were just seventy-six seconds away from defeat and a trip home for a decisive seventh game, when Bryan Bickell tied it. Victory parade: The jubilant kids can't hide their delight as they take to the ice waving their Blackhawks flags . Future star? A young Blackhawks fan shuffles across the ice waving her flag . Then, while the Bruins were settling in for another overtime in a series that has already had its share, Dave Bolland scored to give Chicago victory. The back-to-back scores in the time it takes for one good rush down the ice turned a near-certain defeat into a championship clincher, stunning the Boston players and their fans and starting the celebrations on the Blackhawks' bench with 59 seconds to play. 'We thought we were going home for Game 7. You still think you're going to overtime and you're going to try to win it there. 'Then Bolly scores a huge goal 17 seconds later,' said Chicago forward Patrick Kane, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's most valuable player. 'It feels like the last 58 seconds were an eternity.' Celebrations: The Chicago Blackhawks pose with the Stanley Cup after beating the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals . Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival, of the Czech Republic, hoists the Stanley Cup after his team's dramatic win . The sold-out TD Garden had begun chanting 'We want the cup!' after Milan Lucic's goal put the Bruins up 2-1 with eight minutes left, but it fell silent after its team coughed up the lead. The team came out to salute its fans as they streamed out of the building for the last time, from the air conditioning into the summer air. The arena was almost empty - except for a few hundred fans in red Blackhawks sweaters who filtered down to the front rows - when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman handed the 35-pound Cup to Toews, who left Game 5 with an undisclosed injury and wasn't confirmed for the lineup until the morning skate. The Chicago captain skated the cup right over the crease in which the Blackhawks mounted the comeback and in front of the fans in Blackhawks sweaters who lined the front row behind the net. Toews banged on the glass while the remaining Bruins fans headed up the runways. He then continued the tradition of . handing it from player to player before the team settled to the side of . the face-off circle for a picture with the trophy they will keep for . the next 12 months. Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with teammate Daniel Carcillo #13 after defeating the Boston Bruins . Moment of victory: The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate after beating the Boston Bruins . Party time: Blackhawks fans celebrate on Madison St. in Chicago after their team clinched their second Stanley Cup in four seasons . Fans give high-fives to Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews after he helped his team turn their game around against the Boston Bruins with just 76 seconds to play . Just like in 2010, they won it in a Game 6 on the road. 'In 2010, we didn't really know what we were doing. We just, we played great hockey and we were kind of oblivious to how good we were playing,' said Toews, who scored his third goal of the playoffs to tie it 1-1 in the second period, then fed Bickell for the score that tied it with 76 seconds to play. 'This time around, we know definitely how much work it takes and how much sacrifice it takes to get back here and this is an unbelievable group,' Toews said. 'We've been through a lot together this year and this is a sweet way to finish it off.' The Blackhawks opened the season on a 21-0-3 streak and coasted to the Presidents' Trophy that goes to the team with the best regular-season record. But regular-season excellence has not translated into playoff success: Chicago is the first team with the best record to win the cup since the 2008 Detroit Red Wings. Chicago Blackhawks fans celebrate at The Crossroads bar in Chicago after their team defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2 to win the Stanley Cup on Monday . Patrick Kane celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the Chicago Blackhawks' locker room after his team defeated the Boston Bruins in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals hockey series on Monday evening . Victors welcome: Chicago Blackhawks center Michal Handzus carries the Stanley Cup after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Tuesday morning . Fans celebrate on West Division Street in Chicago on Monday evening after the Blackhawks won the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals .

Children of Blackhawks players take to the ice after team's dramatic win . Fan of rival Boston Bruins joins in celebration taking their picture . Chicago have now won the Stanley Cup twice in four seasons .

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(CNN) -- One female fan on Twitter said "Off the Wall" was the first cassette tape she owned. "I have it on CD now and still listen to it," she said. Many people found out about Michael Jackson's death through Web sites like Twitter and Facebook. "I saw the Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium in 1984," posted a man on his Facebook status update. "Anybody else?" And on CNN's iReport.com, a tearful Melissa Fazli of Yorba Linda, California, posted an emotional video. "I grew up with Michael Jackson," she said, choking back tears. "This is just a very sad day." From Facebook to Flickr, Twitter to YouTube, stunned and saddened fans came together across the vast online universe to share their memories of the iconic pop star, who died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles. By Thursday evening, 9 of the 10 top trending topics on micro-blogging site Twitter were about Michael Jackson. Because traditional media outlets were slow to confirm the news of Jackson's death, many people appeared to find out through messages on social-networking sites. Some of those linked to celebrity gossip site TMZ.com, which was among the first to report the news. "Damn ... it's official," posted one Twitter user, shortly after the news of Jackson's death was confirmed. "RIP to the BIGGEST star the world has EVER seen." Another woman vowed in a tweet never to change her cell phone's ringtone, which was set to "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)," a hit from Jackson's classic "Thriller" album. Sony BMG, Jackson's music label, removed from its Web site a list of dates for the singer's European tour, which was to kick off next month in London. Within minutes, Jackson's Wikipedia page had been updated to reflect his death, with biographical information changed to the past tense. On Flickr, fans posted images from all phases of Jackson's career, from his child-star, large-Afro days to moody publicity shots to dramatic photos of a costumed, windblown Jackson in concert. While most fans celebrated Jackson's buoyant music and dynamic stage presence, others viewed him as a tragic figure with an increasingly bizarre public image who, in his later years, battled child molestation charges and mounting debt. One grieving fan posted an image on Flickr of herself, head in hands. "He was ... amazing. And had amazing songs. :( What's so weird is that I was singing his songs today before I found out about this," she wrote. "At least he'll be safe now. Away from all the troubles and stuff. :)" On Twitter and other sites, several online mourners posted "Never Can Say Goodbye," echoing the title of one of the Jackson 5's early hits. Another fan quoted from Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," saying, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, then make a change." The swirling news may have overwhelmed Facebook, which was inaccessible at times Thursday evening. When the site was viewable, people filled their status updates with Jackson memories, lyrics and links to his videos. Others remarked on the coincidence of two pop icons, Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, dying within hours of each other. "Johnny [Carson] is going to have a great show in heaven tonight," wrote a Los Angeles man on Facebook. Ed [McMahon]'s back, and he's got two great new guests."

Stunned fans came together across the Web to share memories of Michael Jackson . Thursday evening, 9 of the 10 top trending topics on Twitter were about Jackson . Many people appeared to find out about his death through social-networking sites . Sony BMG removes a calendar for the singer's concert tour from Jackson's Web site .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:37 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:19 EST, 12 March 2014 . The mother of a 16-year-old Arizona schoolgirl shot dead by a 15-year-old school friend on Friday has hit out at her daughter's school, saying it should have kept her safe. Anastasia Greer was shot dead by Matthew Bolton in the street outside her friend's home last Thursday. But contrary to previous reports the two had not recently ended a relationship, and Anasatasia was trying to protect Bolton's unnamed ex-girlfriend, with whom she was friends, when she was shot. Anastasia's mother Diannah Dinsmore spoke out as it emerged Bolton had made a series of threats against his ex-girlfriend, and Anastasia had gone the unnamed girl's house to protect her. When Bolton arrived at the home, Anastasia went out to confront him and was shot dead before he killed himself. Police say Anastasia had reported Bolton to school administrators on Thursday, saying he had threatened to beat up his former girlfriend. Protective: Diannah Dinsmoor, pictured with her daughter Anastasia, says the school should have kept her safe . Tragic: Anastasia, pictured with Bolton in February, had not dated the teenager, her mother said . Officials at Sandra Day O'Connor High School contacted the parents of the girl Bolton is said to have threatened but because he was off school on Thursday and Friday, they were unable to speak to him. The following day, Anastasia and the girl, who used to date Bolton, returned to school and after class Anastasia met Bolton to confront him about the threats. The school said Anastasia had not been a target of Bolton's threats, and the school's police officer had tried to get in touch with the student on Friday. Police have said in the hours leading up to the shooting, one of Anastasia's friends had been so concerned for her safety that he gave her a small knife, and had asked Bolton if he was armed. Bolton had said he didn't have a gun, but . a few moments later the same friend saw him chasing Anastasia, before . hearing gunshots and later seeing Bolton take his own life. 'We don't know what transpired when the . two went outside as far as any type of discussion, other than to say a . witness saw Matthew chasing Ana and heard gunshots,' Sergeant Tommy Thompson said. 'About that time the . friend that lived in the residence came outside to discover Ana had been . shot, he then witnessed Matthew shoot himself.' Grief: Diannah, left, says when she rushed to the house after hearing about a shooting she could tell from the look on the faces of her daughter's school friends that Anastasia was dead . Attack: Matthew Bolton took a gun from his brother's room and shot Anastasia after she confronted him about threats he had supposedly made . Anastasia's mother however, has hit out at the school for not doing more to respond to reports of Bolton making threats. 'I . trusted the school to do what they were supposed to do, that's what . they were entrusted for. I put my daughter in their care for her to be . safe,' she told My Fox Phoenix. Mrs . Dinsmoore also denied claims that her daughter had been romantically . involved with Bolton, saying the pair hadn't spoken for months. Too young: Friends remembered Anastasia, pictured here with a gift from Bolton, as kind and outgoing . She admitted Bolton had bought her daughter a teddy bear last month, but said her daughter had not been allowed to date. Police say the gun used to kill Anastasia was taken from Bolton's brother, who kept it locked in his bedroom. Bolton is believed to have broken a window to get inside the room and get the gun. Mrs Dinsmoore told AZ Central she found out her daughter had been killed after asking the girl's friends where she was. After hearing about the shooting, Mrs Dinsmoore went to the house where Anastasia had been shot to look for her daughter. 'I was like, "I’m looking for my daughter. Where’s Ana?" All their faces drop, and [they] point around the corner, and then I saw an officer ... I already knew what they were going to tell me,' she said. Officers responded to a 911 call of a . shooting around noon and found the two teenagers dead in the home's . front yard from gunshot wounds. A neighbor, Jim Friel, told The Arizona Republic that he heard a scream and then gunshots and went across the street to the home to see what happened. He found the girl lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to her chest and the boy with a gunshot wound to his face. Crime scene: Neighbors reported hearing a girl screaming before gunshots were fired . Grieving friends described Anastasia as a kind and outgoing girl who was active in her school's ROTC program. Classmate Caleb Fleck told the station KPHO that Bolton, who was in his ROTC class, was well-behaved and was never known to be a troublemaker. On his Facebook page, Matthew posted on Valentine's Day a photo of him and Anastasia smiling and holding a red 'I love you' teddy bear with a heart-shaped nose. CBS 5 - KPHO .

Anastasia Greer had reported Matthew Bolton for threatening behavior days before he killed her . Bolton, 15, shot Anastasia at a friend's home using a gun he had stolen from his brother's locked bedroom . Schoolgirl had confronted Bolton about threats he made to one of their classmates moments before she was shot .

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By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 16:51 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:42 EST, 29 November 2013 . Earlier this month, Iran agreed to temporarily stop its nuclear program in exchange for decreased economic sanctions. And that's good news for animal breeders in both countries looking to make more Iranian-American calves. Despite most trade with Iran being illegal, the U.S. sent nearly $2million dollars worth of bull semen to the Persian nation in 2012. In April 2013 alone, the U.S. sent $820,000 according to U.S. Census information gathered by Quartz. International cattle driving: The U.S. sent nearly $2million worth of bovine sperm to Iran last year. Above, a bull on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts . Altogether the U.S. sent $45.7million in humanitarian aid to Iran last April. While the number seems like a lot, it's nothing compared to the $26.2billion sent to our biggest trading partner - Canada. Bovine sperm side-steps the usual rules against trade between the two nations since it qualifies as humanitarian aid. 1. Rice - $18.6million . 2. Lentils - $10.33million . 3. Chickpeas - $7.02million . 4. Chemical woodpulp -$3.3million . 5. Butter - $1.9million . 6. Vegetable seeds - $1.4million . 7. Medical equipment - $1.1million . 8. Bovine semen - $820,000 . 9. Dental equipment - $590,000 . 10. Fruit seeds - $250,000 . 11. Cattle - $110,000 . 12. Animal feed - $90,000 . 13. Veterinary vaccines - $60,000 . 14. Fertilizer - $40,000 . 15. Battery parts - $40,000 . 16. Nickel alloys - $30,000 . 17. Chemicals - $20,000 . 18. Others - $20,000 . It's not the most exported item to Iran, but it's still in the top 10. Foods like rice, lentils, chickpeas and butter top the list. In addition to sending food, the U.S. sends products to help Iran make their own, like vegetable and fruit seeds, fertilizer and animal feed. The bovine semen is one part of that effort, helping to sire more cows as beef production has become an important issue in Iran. The country has made it a goal to be . self-sufficient in all types of meat production by 2016, and they plan . on investing the equivalent of $735million U.S. dollars into the . industry over the next three years according to Global Meat News. 'Currently, . despite the great potential in the field of animal production and the . creation of a number of agro-livestock farms, there are still many . challenges in the industry, and some livestock enterprises operate only . at 20 to 30 per cent of their production capacity,' said Cyrus Rusta, . head of the Central Association of Animal Breeders. They're . certainly not far off from self-sufficiency. In 2012, they produced . 970,000 tons of meat, which satisfied the demand for 90 per cent of the . Iranian population. But Iran isn't the only country after America's bull semen. The U.S. is the number one exporter of the product in the world, since many farmers want to breed high milk-yielding American cows. American cows have become the most efficient milk producing bovines in the world - making 21,697 pounds of milk in 2012. Of course this has to do with advances in agricultural technology, but its also due to breakthroughs in breeding. American farmers have the ability to predict how much milk an offspring will make based on data fathered from the parents which helps in choosing which cows to mate with specific bulls.

Strict trade sanctions have been in place between the U.S. and Iran since the Carter administration . Bovine sperm side-steps the usual sanctions since it qualifies as humanitarian aid . Iran has made it a goal to become self-sufficient in meat production by the year 2016 .

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Los Angeles (CNN) -- A Disneyland employee pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony possession of a destructive device in a public place during an incident where two water bottles with dry ice exploded in the theme park, authorities said Thursday. Christian Isaiah Barnes, 22, of Long Beach, California, was arraigned Thursday, and his bail was set at $500,000, said Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney's office. His next court date is a pretrial hearing on June 7, Emami said. The charge against Barnes carries a maximum prison sentence of six years, the district attorney's office said in a statement. Barnes, an employee at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, allegedly possessed two water bottles containing dry ice -- which can make for a destructive device called a dry ice bomb, the prosecutor's office said. The devices caused small explosions in Disneyland, authorities said. On Tuesday, Barnes was being relieved of his shift at a Disneyland vending cart outside Mickey's Toontown, prosecutors said. When Barnes opened the vending cart, the first water bottle with dry ice exploded, the prosecutor's statement said. Then Barnes allegedly took the second water bottle from the cart and, as he walked to the employee break room through Toontown, allegedly placed it in a trash can, prosecutors said. Barnes allegedly left the area, and a custodian removed the trash bag and placed it on the ground, prosecutors said. The custodian walked away from the bag to clear another trash can, and then the water bottle in the bag exploded, authorities said. Visitors were cleared from Toontown for about two hours as authorities investigated, though the rest of Disneyland remained open. Disney World vows action after report of wealthy hiring disabled to skip lines . To Disney or not to Disney? Boy pulled from Disney resort pool dies .

Bail is set at $500,000 for Disneyland employee Christian Isaiah Barnes, 22 . He is charged with felony possession of a destructive device in a public place . He was allegedly behind two water bottles with dry ice exploding in the theme park .

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(EW.com) -- Millions of "Game of Thrones" fans are feeling sadness, outrage, and, sure, some perverse excitement after watching Sunday's episode titled "The Rains of Castamere." But for Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, such reactions to "The Red Wedding" are nothing new. Martin has been receiving exclamatory emails about the disastrous Tully-Frey union for more than a decade, ever since he published his Song of Ice and Fire saga's third novel, A Storm of Swords. Below, the author reveals why Robb had to die, gives his reaction to upset readers and spills the scene's horrifying real-life inspiration. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How early in the process of writing the book series did you know you were gonna kill off Robb and Catelyn? George R.R. Martin: I knew it almost from the beginning. Not the first day, but very soon. I've said in many interviews that I like my fiction to be unpredictable. I like there to be considerable suspense. I killed Ned in the first book and it shocked a lot of people. I killed Ned because everybody thinks he's the hero and that, sure, he's going to get into trouble, but then he'll somehow get out of it. The next predictable thing is to think his eldest son is going to rise up and avenge his father. And everybody is going to expect that. So immediately [killing Robb] became the next thing I had to do. Since Song of Ice and Fire so often subverts reader expectations and avoids traditional fantasy storytelling structures, should fans have any real hope that this tale will have a happy ending? As The Boy recently said on Thrones, "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." I've stated numerous times that I anticipate a bittersweet ending. EW: What sort of reactions have you received from readers over the years about the scene? Extreme. Both positive and negative. That was the hardest scene I've ever had to write. It's two-thirds of the way through the book, but I skipped over it when I came to it. So the entire book was done and there was still that one chapter left. Then I wrote it. It was like murdering two of your children. I try to make the readers feel they've lived the events of the book. Just as you grieve if a friend is killed, you should grieve if a fictional character is killed. You should care. If somebody dies and you just go get more popcorn, it's a superficial experience isn't it? EW: Why do you think it has such a powerful reaction? Robb wasn't one of your "viewpoint characters" in the books and Catelyn wasn't really a beloved personality. [Long pause] That's an interesting question. I don't know if I have a good answer. Maybe the way I did it. There's a certain amount of foreboding leading up to it. It's a betrayal. It comes out of left field. It's at a wedding feast. Robb has made his peace and you think the worst is over. Then it comes out of nowhere. There's also secondary characters killed. Then outside hundreds of Stark people are killed. It's not just two people. To me, that Robb and Catelyn are family makes it worse. And Catelyn has suffered so much and lost so many people around her, and she actually thinks she's lost more than she really has (since she doesn't know for sure that Arya, Bran and Rickon are alive). Then this happens. She also has the moment there to plead. There's also her murdering the hostage. He's not a son that Frey particularly values.* So in the end her bluff is empty. And she does. She carries through. There's a certain power to that too. EW: I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this, but: Have you ever regretted the scene? Martin: No. Not as a writer. It's probably the most powerful scene in the books. It cost me some readers, but gained me many more. It's going to be hard for me to watch it [on the show]. It's going to be a tough night. Because I love these characters too. And in a TV show you get to know the actors. You're also ending that relationship with an actor that you have affection for. Richard Madden and Michelle Fairley have done an amazing job. EW: What do you say to readers who are upset about the scene? It depends on what they say. What can you say to someone who says they'll never read your book again? People read books for different reasons. I respect that. Some read for comfort. And some of my former readers have said their life is hard, their mother is sick, their dog died, and they read fiction to escape. They don't want to get hit in the mouth with something horrible. And you read that certain kind of fiction where the guy will always get the girl and the good guys win and it reaffirms to you that life is fair. We all want that at times. There's a certain vicarious release to that. So I'm not dismissive of people who want that. But that's not the kind of fiction I write, in most cases. It's certainly not what Ice and Fire is. It tries to be more realistic about what life is. It has joy, but it also had pain and fear. I think the best fiction captures life in all its light and darkness. One of my favorite elements of the scene is you introduce this idea of "salt and bread." We accept that as readers — Okay, in this fantasy world, people don't harm each other once they eat a host's bread and salt in their home. Then you break your own rule. It's like you're smacking the reader upside the head for being so dense — "Of course they're not going to follow that silly rule ALL the time!" It was stolen from history. Hospitality laws were real in Dark Ages society. A host and guest were not allowed to harm each other even if they were enemies. By violating that law, the phrase is, they "condemn themselves for all time." EW: What about the Red Wedding itself? Is that based on history too? The Red Wedding is based on a couple real events from Scottish history. One was a case called The Black Dinner. The king of Scotland was fighting the Black Douglas clan. He reached out to make peace. He offered the young Earl of Douglas safe passage. He came to Edinburgh Castle and had a great feast. Then at the end of the feast, [the king's men] started pounding on a single drum. They brought out a covered plate and put it in front of the Earl and revealed it was the head of a black boar — the symbol of death. And as soon as he saw it, he knew what it meant. They dragged them out and put them to death in the courtyard. The larger instance was the Glencoe Massacre. Clan MacDonald stayed with the Campbell clan overnight and the laws of hospitality supposedly applied. But the Campbells arose and started butchering every MacDonald they could get their hands on. No matter how much I make up, there's stuff in history that's just as bad, or worse. * Changed to one of Frey's young wives in TV version . See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

George R.R. Martin explains why Robb had to die . He said reactions have been both positive and negative . Martin said it was the hardest scene he ever had to write .

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Measuring 26 inches by 26 inches and standing proud at 1.5ft tall, this intricately carved and exquisitely detailed World War One battle scene is made entirely out of pastry margarine. The creation is the brainchild of chef Vipula Athukorale, from Leicester, who won a gold medal for his work at the International Culinary World Cup 2014. Taking three weeks to complete, the poignant sculpture was made out of a whopping 53lb of the butter substitute. Scroll down for video . The sculpture is the brainchild of chef Vipula Athukorale from Leicester. The artist won a gold medal at the International Culinary World Cup for his creation which is made from 53lb of margarine . The 51-year-old's WW1 culinary creation is his second gong. He won his first gold medal the 2010 International Culinary World Cup, in Luxembourg, in 2010 with a Victorian street scene. Mr Athukorale said: 'I wanted to choose a relevant theme to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. 'It is also a tribute to my father Henry who is a retired Lt General in the Sri Lankan army. He was a cadet at Sandhurst in the 1950s. 'The characters show pain, compassion, frustration and anger.' Mr Athukorale (pictured) wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War . The butter artist's characters show 'pain, compassion, frustration and anger' Mr Athukorale's creation is also a tribute to his father who was a cadet at Sandhurst in the 1950s . Mr Athukorale was one of only 14 international competitors to be awarded the gold standard in his butter sculpture class in Luxembourg. The Sri Lankan-born chef left school at 18 to train to be a hotel manager but said his real passion is butter sculpting. He said: 'I was always better at this; it comes from my love of art at school. I am so pleased to won a gold medal for the British team.' The butter artist will be chasing more gold in the Culinary Olympics to be held in Erfurt in Germany in 2016. 'I won two bronze medals there last time in 2012. I aim to do better in two years' time,' he said.

Chef Vipula Athukorale from Leicester crafted the wartime masterpiece in three weeks . Margarine creation a tribute to the chef's father, a cadet at Sandhurst in the 1950s . Sri Lankan born chef created sculpture to mark 100th anniversary of First World War .

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Etan Patz's mother has described the last time she saw her son 35 years ago at his alleged killer's murder trial. Julie Patz came face-to-face with Pedro Hernandez, the former shop worker accused of killing the six-year-old boy when she testified at Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday. She told the jury he was trusting but also scared of being lost or alone and broke into tears when she talked about her feelings when she realized her son was missing. Her testimony is the only time she will appear in court because she cannot bear to go through the trial and be reminded of what happened. Tesitimony: Julie Patz, mother of Etan Patz, (pictured in September) told a Manhattan court her son was 'trusting' and terrified of being alone . Family support: Shira Patz, Etan's sister (center) and Stan Patz, his father, arrive at court for the second day of Pedro Hernandez's murder trial . Mrs Patz recounted her time living in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood when her son, Etan, was little. Etan disappeared on May 25, 1979 — the first time he walked to school alone. 'That was the last time I saw him. I watched him walk one block away. I turned around and went back upstairs and that was the last time.' The boy was 'totally outgoing and trusting of everyone — totally nonjudgmental about people,' his mother said. 'Everyone that he met once was his friend and was a nice person.' But while Etan craved independence and was eager to become a grown-up, Patz said, 'at the same time he was very fearful of being lost or left alone by himself.' Julie Patz cried when talking about how she felt in the hours after she learned Etan was missing. 'I don't remember a thing about that night and the next day, quite honestly,' she said. She recalls only having 'very rubbery legs,' an upset stomach and difficulty walking, thinking and talking. Hernandez was a teenage shop worker in 1979 when New York police jotted down his name among those of many people they met during their feverish search. Justice for Etan: Pedro Hernandez (left), pictured in 2012, is standing trial for the 1979 kidnapping and murder of the six-year-old who disappeared on his way to school in 1979 . Emotional: Stan Patz (pictured walking into court on Monday) watched as his wife broke down in tears while recounting the moment she realized her son was missing . Harrowing: Mrs Patz recounted how she watched Etan walk to school on his own for the first time from their Soho apartment (pictured). It was the last time she saw him . But it wasn't until 2012 that Hernandez emerged as a suspect. The apparent breakthrough in the case was based on a tip and a videotaped confession that prosecutors say was foreshadowed by remarks he made to friends and relatives in the 1980s. His defense hinges on convincing jurors that the confession is false, along with suggesting that the real killer may be a convicted Pennsylvania child molester who was a prime suspect for years. In considering evidence that reaches back to 1979, jurors will delve into a missing-child case that helped inject a new protectiveness into American parenting. Etan became one of the first missing children featured on milk cartons. His parents helped advocate for legislation that created a nationwide law enforcement framework to address such cases, and the anniversary of his disappearance became National Missing Children's Day. The trial is expected to last up to three months. In addition to Etan's mother, witnesses are expected to include psychologists, an inmate informant who knows Hernandez, and possibly other informants testifying against the earlier suspect. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Julie Patz came face to face with son's alleged killer Pedro Hernandez . Told Manhattan Criminal Court how she watched Etan 'walk a block away' Broke into tears when she recounted moment she realized he was missing . Said she had difficulty walking, thinking and talking the next day . It's the only time she will be in court as she cannot bear to watch the trial . He vanished while walking to school from a Soho apartment in May, 1979 .

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By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 07:28 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:49 EST, 4 October 2013 . Pam St Clement as Pat Butcher in EastEnders, working the leopard print and giant earring look . Onesies, leopard print, Ugg boots, oversized sunglasses and enormous earrings are the fashion fads and styles men hate on women. Men voted overwhelmingly in favour of the natural . look, putting cheap hair extensions, cheek piercings, heavy make-up . and dip-dyed hair in the turn-off pile. They also said no-no to jumpsuits, clumpy boots with little dresses, 'hooker heels', chipped nail varnish and having G-strings on display. And when it came to looks the girls don't like on the boys, low-hanging or salmon pink jeans, baseball caps balancing on the back of the head, fake tans and girly scarves were all greeted with a grimace. In terms of fashion idols, women . would most like their men to dress like David Beckham or George . Clooney, with Harry Styles, Brad Pitt and Gary Barlow also making the top ten. Meanwhile, men favoured the styles of Holly Willoughby and the . Duchess of Cambridge, with Kelly Brook and Victoria Beckham proving popular. The study of 1,000 men and 1,000 women also highlighted how women are far more . likely to judge the opposite sex by the clothes they have on: 64 per cent . of women make judgements compared to 48 per cent of men. Women are also less likely to accept a date if the suitor is badly . dressed: only 47 per cent would accept a date with someone who has bad . fashion sense compared to 55 per cent of men. However, men are marginally more . likely to let fashion get in the way of a good relationship, as 11 per . cent have broken up with a girl because they couldn’t stand the way she . dressed, compared to nine per cent of women. Singer Cheryl Cole in leopard print and 'hooker heels', left, and model Cara Delevingne in a onesie, right . Kate Moss is well-known for her fondness for leopard print . But . this might be because women are more likely to try and change the way a . partner dresses by shopping for them, and gradually redesigning their . wardrobe. Nearly half of women polled have tried to 'educate' their boyfriend in the fashion stakes by advising him on his appearance. Men . and women agreed that when it comes to who has more style women have better . knowledge and understanding of what makes a 'good look'. And men are more likely to get it wrong when making decisions about their outfit. 1. Cheap extensions2. Cheek piercings3. Too much make-up4. G-string on display5. Smudgy black eye make-up6. Hooker heels7. Chipped nail varnish8.  Big boots with girly dresses9. Onesies10. Leopard / animal prints11. Oversized sunglasses12. Tops which show off tattoos13. Dip dyed hair14. Rainbow hair15. Ugg boots16. Big earrings17. Pop socks18. Jumpsuits19. Tracksuits20. Crocs . 1. Jeans hanging too low2. Baseball caps on the back of the head3. Onesies4. Socks and sandals5. Ankle skimmers6. Fake tan7. Spiky earrings8. UGG boots9. Lycra10. Crocs11. Girly scarfs12. Heeled shoes (shoes that clop)13. Earrings in both ears14. Salmon pink trousers15. Trousers with elasticised ankles16. Low V Neck t-shirts17. Long necklaces18. A whole tracksuit being worn at once19. Short shorts20. White vests . Brix Smith-Start, spokeswoman and . judge for new TLC TV series Shopaholic Showdown, which commissioned the . study of 1,000 men and 1,000 women, said: 'As this survey demonstrates, . first impressions really do count. 'Men . in a beautifully cut suit are bound to make a good impression - Jude . Law epitomises chic style and Harry Styles style is current and modern . and clearly adored by millions of women. Men said they preferred women to dress in the conservative style of the Duchess of Cambridge, left, or like TV presenter Holly Willoughby, right . 'No, . no’s would be three quarter-length trousers on men, it’s a style that . will never work. Equally tracksuits with brand names scrawled across . them are a heinous crime against fashion.' She . continued: 'Women like Tilda Swinton always get it right - she is so . bold when it comes to clothes and style. Holly Willoughby’s style is . much more conventional so you can see why men love her look.' What other styles do you men hate women wearing? Or what can't women stand on men. Tweet us @Femail . 1. Holly Willoughby2. Kate Middleton3. Jennifer Aniston4. Kelly Brook5. Victoria Beckham6. Fearne Cotton7. Kate Moss8. J’Lo9. Katie Price10. Coleen Rooney . 1. David Beckham2. George Clooney3. Brad Pitt4. Gary Barlow5. Philip Schofield6. Robert Pattinson7. Zac Efron8. Cristinano Ronaldo9. Russell Brand10. Harry Styles . Women enjoy the snappy dressing of David Beckham, left, and George Clooney, right .

Women like men who dress like George Clooney and David Beckham . Men favour the styles of Holly Willoughby and the Duchess of Cambridge . Women hate men in pink jeans, girly scarves and fake tan . Less than half of women would accept date by badly dressed man .

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By . Rebecca Evans . Updated: . 03:07 EST, 6 March 2012 . Convert: Detectives believe fugitive terror suspect wanted for her role in a bomb plot is 7/7 widow Samantha Lewthwaite, pictured as a teenager . Kenyan police say British colleagues have confirmed that a fugitive terror suspect wanted for her role in a bomb plot is 7/7 widow Samantha Lewthwaite. Senior anti-terror police sources in Mombasa yesterday said fingerprints of the woman being sought over an Al Qaeda-linked plan to attack Western tourist resorts had been sent to London. They said Scotland Yard found them to be a match for the wife of suicide bomber Jermaine Lindsay. Interviewed on condition of anonymity, a Kenyan police chief said: ‘Samantha Lewthwaite’s fingerprints have been confirmed by detectives we have been working with from the UK. 'This woman is still in the country. She will not escape if she passes through exit points at the border because of her fingerprints. ‘We are confident we are looking for the white widow.' Senior Assistant Commissioner Ambrose Munyasya, head of Mombasa's criminal investigations department, added: 'We are looking for her and if we get to know where she is we will go there. 'I have a strong team of officers in anti-terrorism and they are determined to find her.' However, the Metropolitan force is still refusing to comment on the foiled Christmas bomb plot against luxury hotels and shopping centres in Mombasa. It insists that ‘this is a matter for the Kenyan authorities’, even though a large team of British anti-terror officers is in Nairobi, working with the CIA to assist in the investigation. On the radar: A woman believed to be Lewthwaite was photographed by undercover police in August at the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, accompanied by a man believed to be Habib Ghani, whom police describe as 'dangerous' Married to a bomber: Lethwaite with Jermaine Lindsay who blew himself up in the 2005 terror attack near Russell Square which claimed 26 lives . Muslim convert Lewthwaite, 28, a soldier’s daughter from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, is wanted by Kenyan police who believe she was the ‘main financier and bomb-making expert’ for the Somalian Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab. She fled with her three children following a raid in December on several safe houses in Mombasa used by the terror cell. Kenyan police say they found her diary - where she detailed what it took to be a mujihadeen's wife. The woman police claim is Lewthwaite arrived in Kenya using a forged South African passport with the name of Essex nurse Natalie Faye Webb and a picture bearing a striking resemblance to Lewthwaite. Explosive: Chemicals for bomb making were found during a raid in the Bakarani region of Mombasa in Kenya . Evidence: . The woman rented several houses and apartments in Mombasa, including a . villa in Shanzu where police found AK47 shells, pictured, hidden in the . sewers . Miss Webb, who has never been to Kenya, had been the victim of identity theft. Police . issued a warrant for the arrest of Lewthwaite in January after . discovering a bomb-making factory and AK47 ammunition following a raid . on several houses linked to the terror cell. The Mail has revealed how a woman . believed to be Lewthwaite was photographed by undercover police in . August at the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, which shows  she was on the . anti-terror radar even then. Police revealed Lewthwaite . kept a tatty A5 exercise book diary in which she wrote that wives of . Muslim suicide bombers must be devoted, unquestioning and believe that . life will be 'sweeter in the hereafter'. Officers in Kenya found notes they . believe she wrote that the 'devoted' wife of a 'mujihadeen' must realise her 'life . in the hereafter promised to be sweeter' because of her husband's . 'sacrifice'. She added that such a wife must be . 'discrete' (sic), 'obedient' and understand her husband's 'calling' meant that both he and his wife would be cut off from their families. She was accompanied by a man believed to be Habib Ghani, from Hounslow, Middlesex, whom police describe as ‘dangerous’. Months later, she managed to escape following a raid on an Al Shabaab safe house in Bakarani – a crime-ridden Mombasa ghetto synonymous with Islamic fundamentalists – in mysterious circumstances following suspicions of police corruption. An inquiry has been launched into how this happened. The woman is believed to be on the run in East Africa with her children and Ghani. Two co-conspirators, Jermaine Grant, 29, a Briton, and Kenyan Foaud Abubakar are under arrest. Grant, from Newham, east London, is due in court tomorrow. His Kenyan wife, who he married just 24 hours before his arrest, has also been charged. The woman arrived in Mombasa in November and rented several houses and apartments, including a villa in Shanzu where police found AK47 shells hidden in the sewers, the forged passport and a smashed laptop computer. Lewthwaite was seven months’ pregnant when her husband blew himself up on July 7, 2005, claiming 26 of the 52 lives lost in the London bombings. Her family in Aylesbury say they have not seen her for years. Search: Sheik Ali Hussein head of the mosque in the Bakrani area of Mombasa said that Lewthwaite had attended his mosque on a number of occasions . Urgent hunt: The false passport of 'Natalie Faye Webb' - thought to be terror widow Samantha Lewthwaite - who has allegedly escaped from Mombasa with bomb fuses .

Fugitive terror suspect wanted for role in bomb plot named as 7/7 widow . Samantha Lewthwaite was wife of suicide bomber Jermaine Lindsay . Diary with tips on how to be a mujihadeen's wife unearthed .

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By . John Hall . Death: Jimmy Mubenga (pictured with his wife) was being deported to Angola when he died . Three G4S detainee custody officers are to be charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Jimmy Mubenga, the Crown Prosecution Service said today. Mubenga, 46, was on a British Airways flight bound for his native Angola when security guards noticed he was not breathing. The father-of-five later died in hospital. Officers Colin Kaler, Terrence Hughes and Stuart Tribelnig will now be charged with manslaughter after earlier inquest found that Mr Mubenga had been 'unlawfully killed' during his deportation. The G4S guards had been tasked with removing Mr Mubenga on a British Airways flight to his native Angola in October 2010. The inquest found Mr Mubenga died of cardio-respiratory collapse, where the heart stops beating and a person stops breathing. Prosecutors decided in July 2012 that no charges should be brought in relation to Mr Mubenga’s death. The case was reconsidered by the CPS after the inquest last year recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. Kaler, 51, from Bedfordshire, Hughes, 53, from Hampshire, and Tribelnig, 38, from Surrey, have been charged with unlawful act manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter as alternatives, the CPS said. However, G4S will not face charges of . corporate manslaughter charges after the CPS decided there was . insufficient evidence for such a prosecution. Malcolm McHaffie, deputy head of CPS . Special Crime, said: 'We have completed a fresh review of all of the . evidence relating to the death of Jimmy Mubenga, including the new . evidence arising from the inquest, and decided that three men should be . prosecuted for manslaughter.' Charged: G4S detainee custody officers Colin Kaler, Terrence Hughes and Stuart Tribelnig have been charged with manslaughter after an inquest found Mr Mubenga had been 'unlawfully killed' during his deportation . 'There is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute Colin Kaler, Terrence Hughes and Stuart Tribelnig.' 'Criminal proceedings are now under way and the defendants have a right to a fair trial. Adrienne Makenda Kambana, Mr Mubenga's widow, said: 'My children and I have waited a long time for this decision. We hope the CPS will now move this case forward quickly. We feel like we are another step closer to getting justice for Jimmy.' Deported: The G4S guards had been tasked with removing Mr Mubenga on a British Airways flight to his native Angola in October 2010 . Mark Scott, solicitor for Mr Mubenga's family, with Bhatt Murphy solicitors, said: 'The family look to the Crown Prosecution Service now to ensure that they prosecute the case with the rigour and robustness required by the evidence available to them.' 'It has been a three-and-a-half year struggle for the family to get to this point and they hope to get on with their lives once this final challenge is met.' Kaler, Hughes and Tribelnig will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 7. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Jimmy Mubenga, 46, was about to be deported to Angola when he died . Three G4S guards will now be charged with manslaughter over the incident . Colin Kaler, Terrence Hughes and Stuart Tribelnig are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 7 .

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(CNN) -- Amid solemn commemorations on Tuesday's 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President Barack Obama and other leaders emphasized how America has emerged stronger from the devastation that killed more than 2,900 people and forever changed the nation and the world. "This anniversary allows us to renew our faith that even the darkest night gives way to the dawn," Obama said at the Pentagon, where 184 people died when one of four hijacked planes slammed into the iconic building symbolizing U.S. military might. "As painful as this day is and always will be, it leaves us with a lesson that no single event can ever destroy who we are, no act of terrorism can ever change what we stand for," Obama said, adding: "When the history books are written, the true legacy of 9/11 will not be one of fear or hate or division. It will be a safer world, a stronger nation, and a people more united than ever before." Earlier, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stood with heads bowed and hands clasped on the White House lawn to observe a moment of silence at the exact time the first hijacked plane hit New York's World Trade Center in 2001. White House staff stood in quiet observance on the grass behind them as a lone bugler played "Taps." Opinion: How we honored our son's memory . At the ground zero site in lower Manhattan, family members and others read the names of the 2,753 people killed there. No politicians were included in the New York ceremony, near a new high-rise tower built where two hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Center buildings. Obama later went to Arlington National Cemetery. He also was to visit wounded troops at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, while Vice President Joe Biden attended a commemoration near the crash site of another hijacked plane in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. "What they did for this country is still etched in the minds of not only you, but millions of Americans forever," Biden said of passengers on Flight 93 who forced the hijackers to crash the plane believed headed for a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol. All aboard died. In deeply personal remarks that reflected his own experience of losing his wife and daughter in a 1972 car crash, Biden told family and loved ones of the victims that "no matter how many anniversaries you experience, for at least an instant, the terror of that moment returns -- the lingering echo of that phone call; that sense of total disbelief that envelops you, where you feel like you're being sucked into a black hole in the middle of your chest." Neither Obama nor Biden planned any campaign events for the day, even though the November election against Republican challenger Mitt Romney is less than two months away. In a speech Tuesday afternoon to a National Guard Association meeting in Nevada, Romney refrained from his usual political attacks. "I would normally speak to a gathering like this about the differences between my and my opponent's plans for our military and for our national security," the former Massachusetts governor said. "There is a time and a place for that, but this day is not it." At the same time, Romney made clear his support for maintaining or increasing defense spending -- an issue on which he has previously criticized Obama. The president's plan to end the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 "must not be used as an excuse to hollow out our military through devastating defense budget cuts," Romney said. Before he left for Reno, Romney greeted firefighters and other first responders holding a 9/11 commemoration on the airport tarmac in Chicago. Work resumes on 9/11 museum . At the U.S. Capitol, legislators displayed rare bipartisanship with a united commemoration. Despite the bitter partisan divide that has permeated Congress in recent years, party leaders insisted the nation was more unified in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. "Americans showed the world how a unified nation can fight back against darkness and fear," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, while his GOP counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, remembered how legislators gathered on the steps of the Capitol on that day to sing "God Bless America." "It was one of the most uplifting and unifying moments in the history of our country," McConnell said of the shared display of patriotism 11 years earlier. "And I think it is safe to say that we are, as a nation, together even though we have our political differences, together and stronger in the wake of what happened." At the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, Attorney General Eric Holder honored the memories of the 72 officers who died in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. The names of the 9/11 victims are inscribed together on the memorial, located a few blocks from Capitol Hill, which has a total of 19,660 law enforcement officers carved into it dating back to the earliest known officer fatality in 1791. Dan Rather: Media's balancing act with terrorism . Despite the solemnity of the day, some election-year politics continued. Obama made sure to mention his signature foreign policy achievements, noting that the war in Iraq has ended, the war in Afghanistan is winding down, al Qaeda's leadership is devastated and "Osama bin Laden will never threaten us again." After his remarks, he greeted family members of 9/11 victims at the Pentagon and was seen shaking hands with one man wearing a Romney hat. In a post on Twitter, Romney got in an apparent political jab by making sure the words "under God" were included. At its national convention last week, the Democratic Party initially omitted the word "God" from its platform. "On this most somber day, America is united under God in its quest for peace and freedom at home and across the world," the Romney tweet said. It followed a statement by Romney that his campaign released overnight that initially made no mention of God, then later added a similar "under God" reference. "On this most somber day, those who would attack us should know that we are united, one nation under God, in our determination to stop them and to stand tall for peace and freedom at home and across the world," the amended statement said. Share your memories and stories on CNN iReport . CNN's Terry Frieden, Jim Acosta and Shawna Shepherd contributed to this report.

NEW: Mitt Romney calls for a strong military, opposes spending cuts . Political leaders cite unity in response to the 9/11 attacks . Americans pause to remember a day of horror . At the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers stand together in tribute .

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(CNN) -- At 81, China Machado is probably the world's oldest signed model. Just last month, the grandmother of two inked a contract with IMG models, the agency that represents Amazons such as Gisele, Kate Moss and Lily Cole. Already this year, Shanghai-born Machado has bagged the front cover of New York Magazine. "Can you imagine?" she laughs over the phone from New York. "You know, I never dreamt this in my whole life!" She also features in luxury store Barney's Fall ad campaign, styled by former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld, alongside the likes of Naomi Campbell and Crystal Renn. In the past few weeks, she shot a fashion spread for Vogue -- "Italian ... or Spanish Vogue, I can't remember" -- with photographer Bruce Weber, which will feature in the coming months. "(It's) of me -- with all these 20-year-olds he always photographs," she says. Not that she's phased -- breaking the mould is nothing new for Machado. Machado had started modelling in Paris in 1954 for Givenchy and Balenciaga and claims to have been the highest paid catwalk model of her time. Her big break came in 1958. Oleg Cassini, who would later become known for designing First Lady Jackie Kennedy's state wardrobe in the 1960s, spotted Machado in Paris and offered her a contract to come to New York to model one of his collections. The rest is history. "The day I arrived I met Diana Vreeland (legendary fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar and Vogue) and she introduced me to (Richard) Avedon," remembers Machado. She became Avedon's muse, working with him exclusively for three years -- and in 1959, Machado was the first non-Caucasian model to feature on the cover of a fashion magazine, gracing the front of Harper's Bazaar in an image shot by legendary photographer Richard Avedon. It was the cover that almost wasn't, although Machado didn't know that at the time. Race and fashion: Still an issue? Years later, Avedon told her that the magazine's publisher at the time, Robert F. MacLeod said to him, "Listen, we can't publish these pictures. The girl is not white." Avedon was due to renew his contract with the magazine, and said he wouldn't sign unless they published his photographs of Machado. She says: "(Avedon) had sort of blackmailed them into putting these pictures into the magazine." Machado says she probably reached the height of her fame as a model in 1960. "I had, you know, tons of write-ups on me as being the most famous model ever, on the runway. "Every advert that came out (featuring Machado), it would say stupidly 'The Great China' on it. I felt like ... a circus!" Machado says that her childhood in China -- when she was 16, she and members of her family fled Shanghai during WWII -- had made her "such a practical person" and she found modelling "frivolous." So Machado moved behind the camera. She took over as fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar in the early 60s when Diana Vreeland left. "They took me as an offbeat character," she recalls, but she stayed for 11 years, mainly working with Avedon. In the late 1980s, she was instrumental in the launch of Lear's Magazine -- "a magazine for women over 45," she says -- at a time when magazines didn't talk to that readership. "We were way ahead of our time," says Machado. "We were 21 years ago." The magazine won awards and built a readership, but folded after six years, the victim of an unclear vision, according to the New York Times. Machado's current new beginning started a couple of years ago when her daughter brought the then creative director of U.S. fashion magazine, Dennis Freedman over for dinner. "After dinner he said to me, 'I'm going to do 20 pages on you.' And I thought, 'This guy is nuts! I haven't been photographed in 20 years. "And since then, every month, I'm in some magazine. It's crazy," she said. How a small-town girl became China's first supermodel . Ivan Bart, head of IMG Models, who has overseen Machado joining the agency, says that despite her age her appeal is obvious. "First of all, she's legendary," he says, adding that she's "this amazing woman who has given so much to the fashion industry ... and also, oh, by the way, she happens to be in her 80s. "How inspirational is that for any woman of any age?" Among other things, he'd love to put her on the runway -- where she started over half a century ago. "Oh my god, how funny, how funny, how funny!" she chuckles. "Well, I'm a great dancer so I'm sure I'm not so worried about going on a runway." But, always practical, Machado says she'd like, perhaps to be a spokesperson of some kind. She is, she claims, one of the few people who know the history of fashion, perhaps because she's lived it. "We're signing up for something that might be a little unusual," she says, "for someone who might be interested in seeing that a woman can be active until this age and, you know, not look so bad without plastic surgery."

81-year-old grandmother signs to agency that also represents supermodels including Gisele . Recent work includes shoots for New York Magazine, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar . Once a muse of photographer Richard Avedon, Machado hadn't modeled for 20 years .

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The 'common sense' guide has been issued to minimise the risk of contamination of Ebola in the event the virus reaches the UK . Staff at GP practices across the country have been provided with a ‘common sense’ guide to dealing with patients suspected of having Ebola. The step-by-step advice, provided by the Royal College of General Practitioners, has been designed to minimise the risk of the infection spreading in the event it reaches the UK. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned the country to expect a 'handful' of cases by Christmas. The guidance, presented in the form of an index card, has been designed to ensure that patients receive the best and fastest care possible whilst protecting practice teams from possible contamination. It is tailored to individual members of GP practice teams, including receptionists and telephone call handlers, practice managers, and duty doctors. Each 'Ebola Action Card' outlines their specific duties and responsibilities if a patient arrives with Ebola-type symptoms or rings the surgery for advice. Patient advice is also included, with recommendations for what to do if they are in a GP practice or at home. Any patient who arrives with a potential case of Ebola will be told to go to an isolation room and will then be assessed by the duty doctor over an internal phone system. If Ebola is a serious possibility, doctors are asked to alert an infectious-disease specialist at the nearest hospital. Compiled by Dr Simon Stockley, a GP from Stockton-On-Tees, the cards provide a practical and common-sense approach to the current crisis, as well as much-needed reassurance for staff and patients in general practice. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned the UK should expect a 'handful' of Ebola cases by Christmas . RCGP Chair Dr Maureen Baker said: 'The threat of Ebola to the UK remains low but GPs and practice staff are on the front line of dealing with contagious diseases and they need to be fully aware of what steps to take in order to protect patients and themselves, should an incident or potential incident arise. 'Dr Stockley has an impressive background in emergency preparedness and we are delighted to be working with him on such an important initiative. 'His guidance takes a calm, measured and common sense approach to the current situation – exactly what general practice needs. 'It will reassure all members of the GP practice team and should make all frontline health professionals feel more prepared and confident about handling any potential incident.' The college has set up a dedicated Ebola page on its website, bringing together the latest information on the virus. Last month, Public Health England warned GP surgeries and walk-in centres they would have to be temporarily closed if patients with bleeding, vomiting or diarrhoea are suspected of having Ebola. Staff from North East Ambulance Service and the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle carry out a Ebola exercise . Ebola is a viral infection currently present in West Africa. It is infectious and potentially fatal. Where possible it is important that patients are assessed where they present least risk to health workers. Anyone with features of Ebola who has travelled from West Africa should be kept at home and phoned back by the duty doctor. They should not be brought to the surgery or listed for home visiting. All patients phoning with symptoms of fever, headache, muscle or joint pains, weakness, diarrhoea, vomiting or abnormal bleeding should be asked: . 1) Have you been abroad in the last 21 days? 2) Have you been to West Africa, particularly which country? IF YES ASK THE PATIENT TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE . 3) What number can we call you back on? 4) What is your current address? Actions: . · Contact the duty doctor, as a matter of urgency . · Alert the Senior practice administrator on duty as to the nature of the call . Ebola is a viral infection currently present in West Africa. It is infectious and potentially fatal. Where possible it is important that patients are assessed where they present least risk to health workers. Anyone with features of Ebola who has travelled from West Africa should be kept at home and phoned back by the duty doctor. They should not be brought to the surgery or listed for home visiting. All patients presenting with symptoms of fever, headache, muscle or joint pains, weakness, diarrhoea, vomiting or abnormal bleeding should be asked: . 1) Have you been abroad in the last 21 days? 2) Have you been to West Africa, particularly which country? IF YES ASK TAKE THE PATIENT DIRECTLY TO THE ISOLATION ROOM . 3) Ask them to take a seat and wait for the doctor to telephone them? 4) Ask them to remain in the room and to call reception on xxx if they have any concerns . Actions: . · Contact the duty doctor, as a matter of urgency . · Alert the senior practice administrator on duty that you have placed a patient in the isolation room. In the event of a patient either reporting symptoms or concerns about Ebola to a telephone receptionist, the front of house receptionist or a member of the medical team you will be contacted. Your role will be to coordinate the use of staff to minimise exposure of patients and staff to contamination from the virus. If the patient is not in the building: . 1) Ensure that they are being telephoned by the duty doctor . 2) Alert reception staff to the possibility of people presenting concerned about Ebola . If the patient has presented to the practice: . · Ensure that the patient is within the Isolation Room and that the duty doctor is aware of their presence. · Ensure no member of staff has physical contact with the patient. · Await Duty Doctor’s assessment and any discussions with hospital . If the patient is to be assessed as a possible Ebola case: . · Restrict access to areas of the premises as guided by Local Health Protection Team. · Do not attempt to clear any gross contamination, (vomit, blood or faeces) until results are known and situation discussed with local health protection team. · Consider what business continuity arrangements may need to be made . Be aware that it may take 12 hours to get a definitive test result . In the event of a patient either reporting symptoms or concerns regarding their having Ebola to yourself during a consultation you should consider the following. 1. Assess the patient’s history of exposure risk and fever using the current algorithm . 2. Avoid physical contact with them if they merit further assessment according to the algorithm. 3. Consider whether it is more appropriate to keep them in the consultation room (i.e. already contaminated with vomit, blood or faeces) or to place them in the pre-planned isolation room (i.e. no gross contamination present) 4. Inform the Duty Doctor and Senior Administrative team member . 5. Agree who will contact hospital team for further advice . 6. Consider restricting further clinical contacts with other patients until assessment process has determined if further tests to exclude Ebola are required. Seek guidance from Local Health Protection Team if required. 7. Similarly consider if consultation room should be closed until assessment process has been completed. Any inadvertent contamination should be reported and soap and water used to clean skin splashes. In the event of a patient either reporting symptoms or concerns to a telephone receptionist, the front of house receptionist or a member of the medical team you will be contacted.Your role will be to carry out the initial verbal assessment of the patient . If the patient is not in the building: . 1) Ensure that they are telephoned back as a matter of priority . 2) Assess the patient using the current algorithm . 3) If Ebola is a potential risk alert your local microbiologist/virologist/infectious diseases consultant and take their advice as to further assessment of your patient . 4) DO NOT VISIT or INVITE THE PATIENT TO SURGERY until you are sure there is no potential risk . If the patient has presented to the practice . · Ensure that the patient is within the Isolation Room . · Talk to the patient on the internal telephone, or from outside the room. Internal Telephone No XXX . · Do not enter the room or carry out a physical examination . · If Ebola is a potential risk alert your local microbiologist/virologist/infectious diseases consultant and take their advice as to further assessment of your patient . · Liaise with Practice Manager / Senior Administrative Team Leader to ensure safety of staff and other patients . Be aware if the patient is assessed as a possible Ebola case it may take 12 hours to get a definitive test result . Dear Patient, . Because of your recent ill health and travel history we have taken the precaution of placing you in our isolation room. This is to ensure that you can be cared for safely and any possible infection is not spread further. · One of our doctors will call you very shortly on the telephone, please pick up the receiver when it rings. · They will want to know about your symptoms, when they started, and how they have changed. · They will also want to know where you have travelled from, when you were there, and if you had contact with anyone who was unwell whilst there. · In the room you will find a thermometer, please use it to take your temperature by pressing the button by the small display screen, placing the silver end in your mouth for 90 seconds and reading the number on the screen . If you need to contact us PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE ROOM but phone reception on XXX. Should you need to use a toilet please use the toilet directly opposite this room. The doctor who calls you will explain what will happen after they have talked with you and decided if you are potentially infectious. If the doctor decides you need to go to the hospital, they will arrange appropriate transport to get you there.

Advice by Royal College of Practitioners to minimise risk of Ebola spreading . Tailored to different workers and outlines their duties and responsibilities . Any patient suspected of having Ebola will be isolated and assessed by doctor over internal telephone system .

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Plastic banknotes which can survive a hot 90-degree washing machine cycle could arrive in Britain within three years, the Bank of England said yesterday. In a break with tradition, the Bank is considering ditching the current £5 and £10 notes – which are made from cotton paper –and replacing them with ones made from polymer. The new notes last for more than twice as long, stay cleaner as they are resistant to dirt and moisture and are almost impossible to tear. The Bank of England could introduce polymer £5 and £10 notes (pictured) within three years that can survive a spin in a washing machine . The move will save the Bank more than £100million over a ten-year period because of the new banknote’s improved durability. A typical £5 note currently lasts for two years. The new ones would last for just under six years, it was announced yesterday. Plastic notes were introduced in Australia in 1988 to try and stop counterfeiting. They are due to be issued in New Zealand, Romania, Mexico and Vietnam and current Governor of the Bank of England introduced them in his native Canada. A special one-off plastic £5 was previously issued in Northern Ireland to commemorate the Millennium. The bank says the introduction of plastic notes will save about £10million a year as they will not have to be replaced so often. Polymer £5 notes will measure 125mm by 65mm, smaller than the current note. Supporters of polymer notes say they are more hygienic, harder to tear and more difficult to counterfeit. But critics say they stick together and are slippery. And . they can also be recycled to create items including plant pots and . garden furniture – a move which is likely to please Diana Carney, the . wife of the new Bank governor and a committed environmentalist. Her . husband Mark was at the helm of the Bank of Canada when polymer notes . were introduced in 2011, and is importing the idea to Britain just 11 . weeks after taking over the top job. The . Bank said yesterday it will initially look only at changing £5 and £10 . notes, with the new £5 featuring Sir Winston Churchill becoming the . first polymer note in 2016. But they are planning to hold focus groups and meetings in shopping centres to test public opinion about the scheme. And if the feedback is overwhelmingly negative the Bank have promised to scrap the idea altogether. The new notes will still feature the Queen and a well-known person, but will be slightly smaller than the current note. The £5 note is now 135mm by 70mm. The new one will measure just 125mm by 65mm. But they will continue to maintain ‘tiered-sizing’ – meaning that the higher the denomination, the bigger the note will be. The . Bank of England has tested the polymer notes in a 90-degree washing . cycle which seemed to have only ‘a minimal effect’, unlike the current . notes which can be ‘substantially degraded’. They then ‘submerged them . in liquids, including red wine,’ and found they could be wiped clean, . unlike a normal note which stains or disintegrates. Polymer . notes are already used in more than 20 countries, including Australia, . New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore and Mauritius as well as in Canada. The Bank of England said polymer notes would save them £10million a year because they last longer . New Bank of England Governor Mark Carney introduced polymer notes to Canada previously . But . the Bank of Canada was forced to deny that their notes were scented, . after authorities were inundated with queries about why people thought . that they could detect a ‘hint of maple’ when smelling the bills. Questions remained last night about how cash machines or payment machines would cope with the new notes. But . a spokesman for Link, the company which is behind 66,000 of Britain’s . cash machines, said: ‘The ATM industry will work closely with the Bank . to ensure their effective introduction.’ The . public consultation on the introduction of the new notes is due to . finish on 15 November and a final decision will be announced in . December.

Polymer bank notes could be introduced within three years . Bank of England said they would save them £10million a year . Polymer notes are waterproof, more hygienic and harder to tear . Bank launched consultation on new notes to bring them in by 2016 . If so would be biggest change in to Britain's currency for 300 years .

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(CNN) -- Humorist Dave Barry is back with a new book. The prolific writer shares parenting stories in "You Can Date Boys When You're Forty: Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About." He has written more than 30 books, but this is the first that headlines his role as a parent. Despite the title, Barry explains, it's not purely a parenting book. "I wouldn't want anybody to think that this is a book where they're going to learn useful information about parenting," he said. "Or, really, anything else." Like many of his books, this is a collection of essays sharing his opinions on a wide range of issues and experiences. Readers will learn about his impressions of "Fifty Shades of Grey," his tips on how to cook a steak and his hatred of his mail. The 66-year-old also shares personal stories about his kids, Rob, 33, and Sophie, 14. He reveals that he "made the ultimate sacrifice" for his daughter: He took her to a Justin Bieber concert. Barry received a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his nationally syndicated humor column. For nearly 30 years, he has lived in Miami, which has provided plenty of fodder for his fiction and nonfiction books. "If you want to write humor, just come here," he said. "You don't really need a sense of humor at all. You just write down what people actually do here, and it strikes everyone else as outrageously funny." Barry spoke to CNN about his new book, his daughter's changing musical tastes and his plans for his next project. Below is an edited transcript. CNN: What parenting advice would you offer? Dave Barry: I'd say lighten up. I think a lot of parents get pretty intense. As far I can tell, more it's the moms than the dads, partly because the dads, let's face it, are irresponsible scum and don't even necessarily know how old their children are or what their names are. It's the moms who are doing everything. But they sometimes get a little hovery. A little intense. And a little too determined to actually control the outcome of their child's lives, which you really can't do. But there seem to be parents who believe they can. CNN: Have you modified your parenting style having a daughter versus a son? Barry: Absolutely. Girls turn into women, and they do it really fast and dramatically and terrifyingly. Suddenly -- boom! -- they are women. And then, boys come around. I didn't worry about sex or social life or anything like that. With Sophie, I'm really aware of boys, because I happen to be one, or I was one. I'm a male, and I know we're scum. We're all scum. We know it. When they show up, they're nice to me, because I'm the dad. But they're not fooling me. I know they're scum, deep inside. I want them to go away. It would be nice if I could get a humane trap, a boy trap, that I would put on the lawn. It would be baited with something that boys like, like fireworks, something insane. When I hear it clang shut, I would go out and take the boy and release him humanely in the Everglades. CNN: How does Sophie feel? Is she OK with waiting until she's 40 to date? Barry: No. She would completely disregard anything I would tell her about boys. She is so entrenched. She is in this world. They are so connected, these kids. She is close, personal best friends with basically every young teenage girl in North America. They are all connected on Twitter or Instagram or whatever it is they're on now. She is constantly communicating with at least 17,000 people at once. She is part of this matrix of girls. So she has no interest at all in what I have to say. She doesn't have time, really, to communicate with me, other than, "Would you prefer waffles this morning or Fruity Pebbles?" That's my main communication. I make her breakfast. Her interest in my opinion about boys is, I would say, close to zero. CNN: Aside from the Bieber concert, what other sacrifices have you made as a parent? Dave Barry: The bad news is, (Sophie) is on a travel soccer team. Instead of watching her dance, now I watch her play soccer. I like it, but it's the travel part that I don't get. We'll drive 400 miles to watch our team lose. I'm thinking, why couldn't we just stay home and play somebody that can beat us? Why do we have to go to all that effort to lose? I like being a parent, but there are sacrifices. CNN: Do you have any advice for Justin Bieber, who has been in the news lately for the wrong reasons? Barry: He should listen to somebody beside whoever he's listening to now. I don't think he's getting a ton of guidance. My main advice is to him is, "Just stay away from my daughter, Justin Bieber. She doesn't like you any more anyway." She likes One Direction. I think. As of this morning, anyway. CNN: What is your next project? Barry: I wrote a book called "The Worst Class Trip Ever." It's about an eighth-grade class trip that goes really wrong. I was a chaperone on a class trip with my daughter. Nothing went particularly wrong; it's just, I thought, "Man. This would be a good opportunity for a book. Things could go really wrong." You have a bunch of kids and a bunch of parents who are basically rank amateurs, wrangling children in a strange place. Things could go really wrong. That was my idea. It's a class from Miami, based on my daughter's middle school really, that goes on a class trip to Washington. Five kids get involved in a seriously bad situation. High jinks ensue. Dave Barry's latest book of essays, "You Can Date Boys When You're Forty: Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About," published March 4.

Dave Barry: "Just stay away from my daughter, Justin Bieber" Barry, author of more than 30 books, has a new book on parenting . Barry: "I'm a male, and I know we're scum. We're all scum"

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Billie Jean King understands that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that is how she is taking the advent of the International Premier Tennis League in Asia. The American legend was not just an inspirational driving force behind the growth of women's tennis, but also the playing of the sport in the team format, having first founded the concept with her own league in the mid seventies. On Sunday night she was bringing her Mylan World Team Tennis event to London's Royal Albert Hall, at a time when players joining up under the banner of a group outfit is suddenly all the rage. VIDEO Scroll down to see Billie Jean King speak about the Elton John Aids Foundation . BIllie Jean King and Tim Henman share a joke before the Mylan WTT Smash Hits event . King says she is flattered by the International Premier Tennis League copying her competition's format . Her opposing captain in the charity event was Sir Elton John, who actually penned his classic Philadelphia Freedom song in 1975 as a favour to her, providing a theme tune for one of her professional tennis teams. King has looked at the four-team league currently going in Asia, and might be excused for envying the nouveaux riches of the format, given the eyewatering sums they are paying the players taking part. Roger Federer is reliably said to be collecting at least £2.5 million for his two appearances in India while Andy Murray's fee for representing the Manila Mavericks in three matches is believed to be around £1m. Even the veterans taking part, such as Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, are reckoned to be pocketing well in excess of £500,000. Jamie Murray, Kim Clisters, Henman and Sabine Lisicki pose with King (centre) on Sunday . Sir Elton John (left) and John McEnroe (right) are involved in the event which takes place at the Albert Hall . Before the London event - featuring the likes of John McEnroe, Tim Henman, Andy Roddick and Martina Hingis – King spoke of her delight that her longstanding concept appears to be proliferating. It does not trouble her that her own version in America, which takes place after Wimbledon, cannot afford to attract the world's top players in the way that the IPTL has done. 'I'm thrilled, it's a form of flattery,' she said. 'We are celebrating our fortieth year next summer. This is fantastic. It's really important to support tennis, whatever the level. The IPTL is taking professional tennis to new cities with great players. 'I have always been in favour of the team format, always thought that children signing up to tennis should be in a team, they like to be with their friends. Team sports are the biggest in the world, that was my background originally and that of my brother, who played Major League Baseball.' In a sport where players are often resistant to any form of innovation, those participating in Asia and the Middle East have clearly been enjoying themselves and embracing the concept (as they ought to with its rewards). Andy Roddick and Martina Hingis will be among the stars of the game involved in King's tournament . It is a lively product and television-friendly, fitting in to modern tastes, with players showing their personality. It is certainly hooking people in a way that is making the worthy week-in, week-out event the WTA and ATP Tours look very samey by comparison. What nobody in the game is quite sure is how the IPTL is making its sums add up, and how it will go forward after what looks already to have been a successful first year purely in terms of the product. But then in light of the deep pockets of some of the franchise owners they might not have to balance the books in the same way that more regular events do. McEnroe is also a supporter of the team concept: 'You've got to remember that in the seventies team tennis was packing out stadiums, with players like Jimmy (Connors) and Bjorn (Borg) taking part,' he said on Sunday afternoon. McEnroe, Hingis, Sir Elton and Roddick pose with Heather Watson at the pre-tournament press conference . 'I think the key is this having its own time slot. Maybe the game changer part of this is that the schedule is a bit less year-round than it was. It's got a bit more chance of being a success.' The least that the IPTL is going to do is fuel the current debate in tennis, traditionally resistant to change, about how it needs to broaden its appeal to cater more for modern demands. Sir Elton, who for twenty years has captained his team in charity matches against that of King, is also a keen advocate of the team format despite his enthusiasm for the game's traditions. His sporting loves are football and tennis and, as he pointed out, he goes back a long way with both. He joked 'I'm so old I can even remember (Jaroslav) Drobny beating (Ken) Rosewall at Wimbledon in 1954.'

Billie Jean King has long been a promoter of team events . Mylan World Team Tennis taking place in London . International Premier Tennis League proving a success in Asia .

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A surgeon has been banned from driving for 18 months after he was spotted 'falling out of his Porsche'. Roman Miller, 48, was caught with an empty bottle of whisky in his gym bag after police were called when his sports car was seen being driven erratically in Plymouth, Devon. The orthopaedic surgeon also had a hip flask 'full of alcohol' when police found him in the changing rooms of a fitness club on Sunday, Plymouth magistrates court heard today. Roman Miller, 48, had been 'depressed' over the possible closure of his workplace in an NHS treatment centre . Mr Miller had been 'depressed' in recent weeks after his future was thrown into 'limbo' with the threatened closure of his workplace at an NHS treatment centre in Plymouth, the court was told. Prosecutor Angela Furniss said police had been notified about a possible drink driver by members of the public. 'They observed the car coming to a complete stop, racing off at speed and mounting a kerb twice.' She added witnesses saw Miller drive into the car park of Virgin Active Health Club at Derriford, Plymouth, and said he had been falling out of his Porsche and swaying as he made his way into the club. 'He was located in the changing rooms. There were visible effects of having alcohol: glazed eyes, unsteady on his feet and smelling of intoxication. Witnesses saw Mr Miller 'swaying' after he fell out of his car and made his way to the Virgin Active Health Club . 'He repeatedly told police they wouldn't be able to prove it as they didn't stop him while driving.' He failed an initial breath test but failed to later provide a second sample to police after he was taken into custody on Sunday evening. Miss Furniss said: 'When they looked in his bag there was an empty bottle of Grants whisky, a 70cl bottle of whisky and a hip flask full of alcohol. 'He was adamant he had done nothing wrong and it couldn't be proven he'd driven.' Mr Miller gave a third breath test that night which was still high, she said. Roger Page, defending, said Mr Miller had been feeling stressed about the uncertainty of his job at the NHS Peninsula Treatment Centre which could close next Spring because of falling waiting lists. 'For the last four weeks or so, workwise, he's been left in limbo. He has been getting depressed about that and the ramifications that may have.' He said Mr Miller is seeking GP help to discuss his alcohol intake. 'He seems like a rational man who is starting to address his problem.' Mr Miller, of Warspite Gardens, Plymouth, was banned from driving for 18 months, fined £1,000 for failing to give a breath sample and ordered to pay £205 in court costs.

Roman Miller also had hip flask 'full of alcohol' at a fitness club in Plymouth . Orthopaedic doctor was 'unsteady on his feet' and 'smelled of intoxication' Witnesses earlier saw sports car 'racing at speed and mounting kerb twice' Miller told police they couldn't prove anything as he wasn't stopped driving . He later failed two breath tests and was banned from driving for 18 months .

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Charlottesville, Virginia (CNN) -- Jurors at the trial of a University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of fatally beating his ex-girlfriend were asked by a defense attorney Wednesday to consider only an involuntary manslaughter conviction. Attorney Francis Lawrence, in his opening statement, contended that would be appropriate because the death was an accident. George Huguely currently faces charges including first-degree murder in the death of Yeardley Love, who also was a lacrosse player for the university. University of Virginia law professor Darryl Brown told InSession that involuntary manslaughter in the state carries a maximum 10-year sentence. Huguely has been held for two years. But prosecutors, in their opening statement, said Huguely made an e-mail threat against Love, 22, before her May 2010 death. Prosecutor Warner D. Chapman read e-mails exchanged between the two after Huguely learned Love had allegedly slept with someone else. The defendant wrote, "I should have killed you" and Love responded, "You should have killed me?" according to Chapman. Huguely responded that the pair should talk, Chapman said. Chapman also told jurors Love's death was slow and painful and that she could have remained alive for a couple of hours after Huguely left her apartment. The defense also claims Love was alive when Huguely left. Charlottesville Police Detective Lisa Reeves wrote in a sworn statement used to obtain a search warrant in the case that "George Huguely admitted on May 3, 2010, that he was involved in an altercation with Yeardley Love and that during the course of the altercation he shook Love and her head repeatedly hit the wall." But defense attorney Lawrence said there was no evidence that Love's head hit a wall. Lawrence said Huguely refused to believe Love was dead when questioned by police. Police were initially called to Love's off-campus Charlottesville apartment by a roommate who reported "a possible alcohol overdose," Police Chief Tim Longo said at the time. "It was quickly apparent to them this young lady was the victim of something far worse," Longo said. A medical examiner ruled that blunt force trauma killed Love, and authorities allege Huguely caused it during the altercation. Love had "a large bruise on the right side of her face which appears to have been caused by blunt force trauma," according to the police sworn statement. Huguely admitted he kicked open the door to Love's bedroom after he found her apartment door unlocked, according to the detective's affidavit. He also admitted he took her computer from her apartment, Reeves wrote. It was later found by police after Huguely told them where he disposed of it, she said. The trial is expected to last two weeks. InSession's Lena Jakobsson contributed to this report.

Jurors hear differing accounts of Virginia student's 2010 death . Prosecution contends defendant fatally injured Yeardley Love during a fight . George Huguely's defense calls the death an accident . The suspect and victim were members of UVA's highly ranked lacrosse teams .

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Fearful: Popular Commons Speaker George Thomas dreaded interest in his sexual proclivities . The row over claims of an establishment cover-up of an alleged paedophile ring took a new turn last night over fresh claims concerning former Commons Speaker George Thomas. When late Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens tried to expose public figures he claimed were involved in a Westminster child sex ring in the 1980s, Thomas, who was in the Speaker’s chair at the time, had himself been blackmailed over his homosexuality. Furthermore, The Mail on Sunday has been told of claims that Thomas, who later became Viscount Tonypandy, propositioned young men in the Speaker’s official grace and favour apartment in Parliament. A senior political source said: ‘Thomas had an interest in young men and did not hide it at Westminster.’ In the 1960s, Thomas was a Minister in the Home Office, which is accused of losing over 114 files on alleged child sex cases, including Dickens’S dossier in the 1980s. And he reportedly used his Home Office position to help Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe – who was later acquitted of attempted murder of his gay lover – to cover up an alleged homosexual offence against a minor. The disclosures follow the announcement of official inquiries into claims of a Westminster paedophile ring and a Home Office cover-up. Thomas, who died in 1997, was one of Britain’s best-loved and most influential public figures as Speaker from 1976 to 1983. A Methodist lay preacher, he was a Home Office Minister in Harold Wilson’s Labour Government and joined the Cabinet. As Speaker, he had unrivalled power, including control of Commons debates, security and disciplining MPs and even reading the lesson at Prince Charles’s 1981 wedding to Lady Diana Spencer. Influence: Thomas 'helped Jeremy Thorpe, later charged with a plot to kill his gay lover, to cover up an offence against a minor' Close friend and fellow Welsh Labour MP Leo Abse revealed before his death in 2008 that his friend and ally Thomas lived in constant fear of being unmasked as a homosexual. Abse, who led the campaign to legalise homosexuality, said Thomas was blackmailed for being gay and added: ‘The slightest tremor of scandal, however faintly reverberating into his private domain, reduced him to jelly. ‘In 1976, I found him grey-faced and trembling,’ said Abse. ‘Investigative journalists were pursuing inquiries into Thorpe. They had reached the conclusion that 16 years earlier, political intervention saved Thorpe from being prosecuted for a homosexual offence against a minor. 'They believed that when Thorpe became embroiled in another scandal in 1964, he feared Home Office records of his earlier misbehaviour would wreck his efforts to free himself.’ Abse said Thorpe – using his friend, fraudster and Liberal MP Peter Bessell, as an intermediary – ‘turned to George for help. Yielding to Bessell’s importuning, George set up a private meeting between Bessell and the Home Secretary [Frank Soskice]’. ‘George was frightened the journalists would be more interested in his own sexual proclivities than in Thorpe’s,’ added Abse. 'He asked for £800 to pay extortioner... he felt trapped' Labour MP Leo Abse, who led the campaign to legalise homosexuality, died six years ago. In 2001, in a book on Tony Blair, Mr Abse revealed how his friend, the former Commons Speaker George Thomas, was secretly blackmailed for being gay. By LEO ABSE . The phone rang at 6am. ‘George here,’ came a familiar voice. It was my friend George Thomas, secret homosexual and – until barely a year beforehand – superb Speaker of the House of Commons. His voice sounded strangulated, and George was sobbing. ‘I’m in terrible, terrible trouble. Come quickly.’ I immediately thought he was phoning me from a police station. My heart sank. I feared he was about to be crushed by scandal. Revelations: Labour MP Leo Abse was a loyal friend of George Thomas . I knew I had to dash to him; he would panic if there was the slightest sign of a crack in the thin ice upon which he skated all his life. George was 75 and one of the best-known men in Britain. He had been Speaker for seven years, an MP since 1945, Home Office Minister in the 1960s and Secretary of State for Wales. He was a prominent lay preacher, read the lesson at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and enjoyed a warm relationship with the Queen Mother. During his political life, George could benignly sublimate his inclinations. But those inclinations could not always be contained under the fraternal rubric. Sometimes, overwhelmed, what he regarded as lapses did occur. Given his exposed position, it was inevitable that he would fall victim to blackmail. On one occasion, after a distraught recounting to me of the pressure upon him, I insisted I would meet and deal with the young criminal in his Cardiff constituency into whose hands he had fallen. The blackmailing cur had no doubt that, unless he desisted, I would carry out my threat to ensure he was put behind bars for ten years. Shortly after our encounter, he found it politic to quit the city. George had always been on the edge of catastrophe. I learnt he was visiting a grubby cinema in Westminster where, under cover of the darkness, groping prevailed unchecked. I warned him against his lack of discretion. Alarmed that I had been able to know about his haunt, he thereafter kept well away from it. But there were times when my advice had gone unheeded. While still a backbench MP, he asked me for a loan. The specificity and size of the loan, £800, aroused my suspicions. He poured out the story. I urged him to let me deal with this extortioner. But to no avail. That sum – the ticket and resettlement money which was to take the man to Australia – would, George insisted, mark the end of the affair. I had profound misgivings but I could see George was near breaking point. I gave him the money. The slightest tremor of scandal, however faintly reverberating into his private domain, reduced him to jelly. One such occasion was in 1976 when, summoned to his sitting room in the Speaker’s house, I found him grey-faced and trembling. Journalists were pursuing inquiries into the then Liberal leader, Jeremy Thorpe. They had concluded that, 16 years earlier, political intervention saved Thorpe from being prosecuted for a homosexual offence against a minor. They also believed that when Thorpe became embroiled in another scandal in 1964, he feared Home Office records of his earlier misbehaviour would wreck his efforts to free himself. Thorpe – using fraudulent Liberal MP Peter Bessell, as an intermediary – had turned to George, then a junior Home Office Minister, for help. Yielding to Bessell’s importuning, George had set up a private meeting between Bessell and the Home Secretary. The journalists wanted a probing interview with George. He felt trapped. He was frightened his motivation in assisting Bessell was under scrutiny and that the journalists, if denied the interview, would become more interested in his own sexual proclivities than in Thorpe’s. I had noted at funerals and marriages his penchant for using texts from the epistle to the Corinthians (on the ‘sin’ of homosexuality) – as he would again in the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981. I told him he must pull rank and indicate the impropriety of the Speaker granting a private interview. He took my advice, and regained his equanimity. He never again turned to me for assistance – until that poignant early-morning call in 1984, the year after his retirement. It turned out he was not at a police station, as I feared, but in a hospital. Puzzled and concerned, I rushed to him. There was, I knew, a link between his past flights into illness and dangerous threats of exposure. Once, when he was a backbencher, it drove him into hospital with a bout of shingles. Sometimes, overwhelmed with praise, his guilt at the encomiums being bestowed upon such a ‘sinner’ crushed him. (He collapsed at a party given for him at Guildhall to celebrate his 80th birthday.) I wondered, as I approached the hospital that dawn, what ghost had visited the haunted man this time. Before I even arrived, he phoned my wife three times. I reached George’s bed and found him convulsively sobbing. He grabbed my hand and said he was ruined. Soon the whole world would know that he was in hospital suffering from ... venereal disease. I chastened him to get a grip. ‘Waterworks’ was the answer, I explained. He should allow it to be known he had been rushed to hospital with prostate difficulties. It worked. George entered enthusiastically into the tale I had created for him. He even sent me, from the hospital, a beflowered ‘thank you’ card obviously designed to be shown to my wife. It read: ‘Dear Leo, I shall be for ever grateful. Strangely enough there had been no need for me to worry – it was all in my brain! I am due for the prostate gland operation next Wednesday. Love to you all. George.’ My wife laughed indulgently at his naivety that she would be deceived; but it helped George to think so and very soon he was out of hospital – taking, I hoped, the precautions that would avoid his ever again being placed in such a predicament. Once, after I had saved him from the consequences of some escapade, he could not contain his anger against the homophobic hostilities which had so dogged him. With tears in his eyes, he railed: ‘Bust them, Leo. I do not care a damn what is said after I’m dead but I couldn’t stand them taunting me in my lifetime.’ Extract from Leo Abse’s book Tony Blair: The Man Behind The Smile, Robson Books, 2001.

Fresh claims concern former Commons Speaker George Thomas, who later became Viscount Tonypandy . MoS has been told of claims that Labour MP Thomas propositioned young men in Speaker’s official grace and favour apartment in Parliament .

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A contest to turn 'nuisance' grey squirrels into burgers had a cold reception from animal activists - who accused it of being a smear campaign against the so-called 'chicken of the trees'. The cook-off in the Forest of Dean, where the animals are accused of damaging trees, attracted wide publicity in its search for the tastiest squirrel snack. Volunteers cooked up quarter-pounders using three minced carcasses each, and one triumphed with a 'cajun melt' surprise - complete with a mozzarella and chutney topping. But they were criticised by vegetarian groups who said grey squirrels were being unfairly maligned, while the RSPCA issued a warning over how the animals were caught. Tasty: It took at least three grey squirrels to make each quarter-pounder at a contest yesterday in the Forest of Dean, prompting complaints by animal rights activists who said it unfairly maligned the little-loved species . Popular: The contest was hosted as part of the Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival (pictured) The contest was held at the Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival yesterday near Coleford, Gloucestershire, in a bid to get the animal on British menus. Dozens of would-be chefs submitted a recipe to the Extraordinary Squirrel Burger Challenge, and four finalists served up their version of the dish. Each contestant was handed three 'locally-sourced' squirrel carcasses and added their own flavours to make a quarter pounder. Introduced to Britain in the 19th century, there are now around 100,000 grey squirrels in the Forest of Dean - a population the Forestry Commission claims is 'huge' and 'extremely destructive'. Although the agency does not cull the animals, a spokesman said: 'Grey squirrels do cause considerable damage to the trees through extensive bark stripping.' Trio of carcasses: At least 12 squirrels were killed, skinned and gutted for the family event (file photo) Hotly-tipped: A poster for the event yesterday promised prizes including a £55 cookery school voucher . Rachel Thomas, one of the event's organisers, said: 'It is here in the Forest and we should be using it - they are a nuisance at the end of the day.' But the Bristol-based charity Vegetarians’ International Voice for Animals said the ‘victimisation of grey squirrels’ was ‘totally misguided’. Juicy: This image was one of those used to advertise the squirrel burger cooking contest last week . Spokesman Justin Kerswell added: 'This smear campaign against the grey squirrel reeks of both cruelty and irony. Red squirrels themselves have previously been tarred as pests and killed in huge numbers. 'Favouring and massacring different species of wildlife continues to be a brutal fashion which cannot carry on.' And People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals attacked the 'desperate-for-attention festival organisers' who were 'swimming against the tide'. 'Our shops are brimming with healthy and delicious grains, pasta, beans, rice, nuts, fruits, almond milks and soya puddings,' a spokesman added. 'More and more Brits are realising that these are not only far kinder choices but also far more nourishing than the dead bodies of squirrels, ponies or any other animal for that matter.' The RSPCA also raised concerns over how the animals were found. A spokesman said: 'We would hope that these particular squirrels had been killed humanely. 'We would also be concerned about ordinary members of the public possibly trying to capture and/or kill grey squirrels and would not advocate this.' Festival organisers defended the event, insisting it was fair to eat animals that roam in the woods. The Forestry Commission said the grey squirrel population in the area is 'huge' and 'destructive' (file photo) Ready for lunch? Nicknamed the 'chicken of the trees', squirrel also tastes a little like rabbit (file photo) Ms Thomas said: 'It is no different to going out and having rabbit. It is also kind of an educational thing. It shows that it is a good food source here in the Forest. By Pascal Aussignac, of the Michelin-starred Club Gascon in the City of London . 'I think people seeing it [at the competition] were fascinated and curious. We had a lot of positive reaction. We haven't come across any [negative comments] as it happens.' Nicknamed the 'chicken of the trees', squirrel meat is gamey and mostly tastes like a cross between chicken and rabbit. The first prize in yesterday's contest was won by Holly Hayes, who won a £55 cookery school voucher for her 'cajun melt' burger seasoned with jerk spices and topped with melted mozzarella and chutney. The runner-up was Sophie Drinkwater who called her creation 'chicken of the tree surprise' - a garlic and herb burger with melted Gloucester cheese in the centre. The Forest of Dean is already at the centre of animal rights campaigns because it is the focus of Britain's largest wild boar cull. The cull - which is taking place all winter and could claim as many as 500 animals, say activists - is set to be sabotaged by up to 30 locals who will inform each other whenever government-approved marksmen appear. The ancient forest is also the focus of the government's highly controversial badger cull, which campaigners have accused of doing more harm than good. Lawrence Jefferies, a catering lecturer at Gloucestershire College and one of the judges, said the grey squirrel was 'obviously a nuisance within the Forest of Dean and it does a lot of damage and there’s nothing wrong with eating it.' He added: 'It is a creature with a fluffy tail and some people would take offence at its use for food but to my mind it’s just the same as a wild rabbit, which is perfectly acceptable. 'They are a pest, they are in abundance and there is a food source to be had there. And I think it might make a nice cheeseburger.'

Squirrel Burger Challenge held yesterday in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire . It aimed to turn some of 100,000 'nuisance' animals into quarter-pounders . Dozens of would-be chefs submitted recipes using 'chicken of the trees' But contest questioned by RSPCA and did not please vegetarian groups . One complained: 'This smear campaign reeks of both cruelty and irony'

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As a younger dog, Bennie once saved his family from a house fire, but once he got older his family couldn't keep him. The graying 10-year-old chocolate lab was given up by his owners because they had a child who Bennie was not getting along with. Tarah Motuzas, who runs Toronto-based animal rescue Canine Haven, said on Wednesday that Bennie was currently in the process of an adoption. Surrendered: The graying 10-year-old chocolate lab was given up by his owners because they had a child who Bennie was not getting along with . 'He was surrendered to a boarding facility in Toronto,' said Motuzas. 'Luckily my sister works there and she reached out to me since I run Canine Haven.' She posted Bennie's story to Facebook and received a strong response from people eager to adopt him, with one dog lover asking if it was possible to arrange an adoption to Sweden. Motuzas said that Bennie was a regular at the facility where he was surrendered. Hero: Motuzas says that as a younger dog, Bennie once saved his family from a house fire, but once he got older his family couldn't keep him . Playful: A Facebook post for Bennie says he is best with older, quieter dogs and does not like children or cats, and he's already attracted some interest in adopting him . 'I think surrendering him to a place where he knows people and is comfortable was the best they could've done for him,' said Motuzas. 'Its better than a shelter.' 'These are our companions, we are suppose to look after them, care for them and keep them out of harms way,' she added. 'If you're not willing to do that, get a fish.'

10-year-old Bennie was surrendered by his owners because he was not getting along with their child . Interest in the chocolate lab was strong on Canine Haven's Facebook . Tarah Motuzas, who runs the animal rescue, said Bennie was in the process of adoption .

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By . Jaymi Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 20:16 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:19 EST, 29 March 2013 . Only 6 per cent of those questioned would trust the Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove . Parents are concerned about the effect the Government is having on their child's education, a poll suggests. Around one in 12 (8 per cent) parents think that the coalition has had a positive impact on the education system since it took power, while almost half (44 per cent) said the impact has been negative. The survey of around 2,000 adults, commissioned by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), indicates that the majority would entrust their child's education to school leaders. Asked who, other than themselves, they trust the most to educate their son or daughter, more than half (59 per cent) of those questioned said head teachers, followed by the local authority (16 per cent) and school governors (13 per cent). Around 6 per cent said they would trust the Secretary of State for Education, a post currently held by Michael Gove, and the same proportion said they would trust an academy chain. The poll also reveals that just 2 per cent believe politicians should be able to prescribe what teachers teach, while a third (35 per cent) said teachers should be able to exercise their professional judgment to meet the needs of their pupils. The survey comes as the NUT meets for its annual conference in Liverpool. NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: 'The fact that only 8 per cent of parents think that the Government has had a positive impact on the education system is very significant.' She added: 'It appears that it is now only the Secretary of State who believes that his policies are taking education in the right direction. Michael Gove's proposals for examination reform, the national curriculum and academies and free schools are all being questioned.' The poll shows that Mr Gove 'does not have the confidence of the profession or parents', Ms Blower said. Nearly half of parents don't trust the coalition with their child's education (stock image) Parents were also asked if they were in favour of the Government's plans to allow schools to decide on teachers' pay - a key issue in the NUT's current dispute with the Government. One in four (25 per cent) said that every school should have to set its own pay system, while 60% were in favour of a national pay system for all teachers. Ms Blower acknowledged that the survey had not asked parents if they would back teachers if they proceeded with strike action over pay. The NUT and NASUWT teaching unions are proposing to stage a series of regional walkouts, followed by a national stoppage before Christmas in a continuing row over pay, pensions and workload. She said that if they were to ask 'do you want your child's teacher to go on strike?'the 'greatest likelihood' is that they would say no. General Secretary of the NUT Christine Blower said that strike action disrupts a child's education and should be avoided when possible . 'Strike action inconveniences people,' Ms Blower said. But she added that the action was not just about pay and pensions, but also workload and "the umbrella question underlying it, which is, 'is what's being done to your children's education the right thing?'." Ms Blower said the NUT is planning a series of rallies to meet parents, governors and young people to ask, "do you think what's going on in education is right?". A Department for Education spokesman said: 'This survey in fact demonstrates the high level of parental support for our reforms. 'Almost two-thirds of parents want heads and teachers running their schools, rather than councils - that is why we have given schools more freedom than ever before to do just that through our academies programme. 'Our new national curriculum will be significantly slimmer than the current one, and does not tell teachers how to teach its content - this poll finds that 98 per cent of parents support us in that. 'Additionally, the vast majority of our new free schools are so popular with parents that they are over-subscribed. 'There is much to do but our package of reforms will again give all parents the confidence that their child is receiving the first-class education they deserve.' The YouGov poll questioned 2,008 adults between March 12 and 18.

Only 8% of parents think that the coalition has had a positive impact . More than half of people would trust a head teacher the most . 6% of parents said they would trust Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove .

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Islamic State militants have threatened to behead Barack Obama and turn the U.S. into a Muslim province in the latest gruesome video to emerge from their self-styled caliphate. The footage shows a black-clad jihadist standing over a Kurdish soldier who, in a sickening climax to the video, has his head cut off. Before the hostage is executed, the ISIS fighter warns the U.S. president: 'Know, oh Obama, that we will reach America. 'Know also that we will cut off your head in the White House and transform America into a Muslim province.' Scroll down for video . Threats: Islamic State militants issued a direct threat at the U.S. president in their latest video . Sickening: The militant warns the Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barazani: 'Every time you launch a missile, we will send you back the head of one of your soldiers' The militant's threats do not stop at America, but also include a message for France and 'sister' Belgium. He says: 'We advise you that we will come to you with car bombs and explosive charges and will cut off your heads'. Earlier this month, jihadist gunmen killed 17 people in a terror attack in Paris. Days later Belgium intelligence services smashed a suspect Islamist plot to kill a police officer or judge. The militant then saves his most personal attack for the Kurdish leader Masoud Barazani, who is currently leading the fight against ISIS in Iraq. 'As for you, oh Masoud (Barazani), you dog, we are going to behead you and throw you into the trash bin of history. 'Know that we are men who fear no-one. We will institute the laws of Allah, may he be exalted and praised.' Gruesome: Memri TV discovered the latest video and translated it from Arabic. The threats do not stop at America, but also include a message for France and 'it's sister' Belgium . Referring to the Kurdish hostage, he continues: 'This is the fate of one of your soldiers, and every time you launch a missile, we will send you back the head of one of your soldiers. 'You are killing children and bombarding civilians while claiming that this is forbidden in your constitution.' The video, which ends with the hostage being beheaded, was discovered by Memri TV which translated it from Arabic. It emerged two days after Kurdish fighters expelled ISIS from the strategic Syrian town of Kobane on the Turkish border after months of fierce fighting. The news prompted celebrations among residents who fled across the frontier into Turkey, with thousands gathering at the border in the hope they will be able to return home more than four months after the fighting first started. The town's recapture marked a key symbolic and strategic blow against ISIS, but officials warned massive reconstruction was needed and the fight would continue for the surrounding villages.

Footage shows masked jihadist standing over kneeling Kurdish soldier . Militant tells U.S. President: 'Know, oh Obama, that we will reach America' Fighter also threatens terror attacks in France and 'it's sister' Belgium . Warns Kurdish leader he will be beheaded before executing soldier .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . The failure to teach youngsters a trade has led to the end of the artisan class and forced companies to fill jobs with foreign workers, business experts  have said. Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford – who appeared alongside Lord Sugar on The Apprentice – claim young British adults have a sense of entitlement and are lacking in work ethic, hampering their chances of finding employment. Speaking ahead of a documentary on migrant workers that will be broadcast next week, Miss Mountford, 62, said: ‘There’s nothing unlawful about employing people at £11 an hour rather than £15 if you can get them. Entitled: Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford - who appeared alongside on The Apprentice - claim young British adults have a sense of entitlement and are lacking in work ethic, hampering their chances of finding a job . ‘But is it wrong to be British and to have a sense of entitlement? We have decided as a nation that 50 per cent should go to university and look down on trade qualifications, and it’s better to go and get a media studies degree that doesn’t get you a job than to go and learn a trade – whereas in Germany, it’s as hard to get into technical colleges as it is to get into the good universities.’ Mr Hewer, who now presents Channel 4’s Countdown, claimed the demise of the artisan class had left Britain ‘teeming with bodgers’. He said: ‘I think the artisan who exists in Europe doesn’t exist in this country. ‘Now anybody who loses their job buys a Mitsubishi Warrior with lots of chrome and is suddenly a plumber. ‘The truth of the matter is that the country is teeming with bodgers because nobody gets trained. ‘The old apprenticeships have gone and people think, “I think I’ll do a bit of plastering and bricklaying”. So nobody is actually trained. Lack of incentive: Mr Hewer said that the old apprenticeships have gone - leaving bricklayers and builders without proper training . ‘The artisan class in Europe still exists. I don’t think that in Germany, Spain or France they have programmes called Rogue Traders and Rogue Builders where you call in plumbers and builders and they just rip you off. ‘It’s a bit of a British tragedy, and I don’t think it exists in other countries where trade is a good thing.’ The comments come days after the Government’s Migration Advisory Committee warned that too many school-leavers lack even the basic abilities to ‘look people in the eye and get out of bed’. The immigration panel claimed British students are given little incentive to work by the benefits system. As a result, businesses have had to turn to workers from overseas who are better qualified, more reliable, confident and – unlike their native competitors – have the good manners needed to deal with customers. Mr Hewer said Polish migrants ‘have the guts, the energy, the initiative and are prepared to slog it out in another country in a different language ... inevitably, they are going to be more driven’. He added: ‘The fact that they slammed their front door in Vilnius and hacked their way across Europe to a foreign country shows that these are people with initiative, drive and ambition.’ He will appear in the BBC show Nick and Margaret: Too Many Immigrants?, which pairs UK-born citizens with five London-based immigrants from all over the world to explore their impact  on Britain.

Failure to teach youngsters a trade forces companies to hire foreign workers . Mr Hewer and Miss Mountford also claim young Britsh adults are too entitled . He said migrants working in UK have 'the guts, the energy, the initiative' Government panel claimed benefits give students little incentive to work .

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Julian Speroni believes Crystal Palace have to approach their game at Tottenham as a match they can win - or they risk falling into the relegation battle. The Eagles currently sit 15th in the Barclays Premier League table but are just one point clear of the bottom three ahead of their trip to White Hart Lane on Saturday. Neil Warnock's side had taken four points from clashes with Liverpool and Swansea before a home defeat to fellow strugglers Aston Villa on Tuesday evening and could find themselves in the relegation zone if Spurs can see them off. Julian Speroni (left) believes Neil Warnock's side cannot approach games with a negative attitude . Palace lost to Aston Villa on Tuesday night and fell to 15th in the Premier League table . But Speroni feels a safety-first approach could have a detrimental effect on Palace, especially if they make the short trip to north London intent on sitting back and looking to leave with a point. 'It's a week where we need to prepare well and make sure the recovery is spot-on. It'll be a tough challenge for us but we're looking forward to it,' the Argentina goalkeeper told the club's official website. 'We've been creating a lot, especially against Villa, and we hope to do that against Tottenham too. Any point away from home is always a good point but if you go into games with that mentality then you tend to lose. You have to go out there thinking you can win, try to win and then see what happens. 'We try not to think too much about what has happened before, we try to prepare for every game in the same manner. We know it's going to be a tough challenge but we have the confidence to go there and try and win the game because of the performances we've had lately.' Palace finished 11th last season under the stewardship of former manager Tony Pulis and were 12 points clear of Norwich in the final relegation position. Speroni is beaten by a Christian Benteke shot to give Paul Lambert's side the three points at Selhurst Park . Palace face Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham on Saturday, who lost 3-0 against Chelsea on Wednesday . But Speroni thinks the table could be much closer this campaign, with eight points currently separating the bottom half. 'It'll probably go down to the last few games of the season,' he said. 'We're going to have to perform as well as we've been doing but the margins are so small so we need to pick up some points. 'You always look for other results after a game to see how other teams are doing but I don't think you have to think too much about it because it's going to be a tough season. 'We showed last year the difference between the bottom of the table and halfway up is so close, and you can quickly climb if you get a win as there's little difference between the teams. 'After the Villa game I couldn't understand how we didn't get a point out of the game. We had so many chances but for some reason the ball didn't seem to want to go in so we ended up losing, but I was pleased with the performance because we played really well.' .

Julian Speroni wants Palace to approach the Tottenham game as winnable . The goalkeeper says they risk falling into a relegation battle otherwise . Palace face Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs on Saturday at White Hart Lane .