Just for a second, Tony Mowbray allowed himself to drift off into a brighter future before crashing back to the remorseless reality of Coventry City’s present. ‘I look to the summer time and how we are going to build a team that is a Coventry City team,’ the new manager began. ‘But that’s for another day. The immediate concern is just to win some matches.’ Tony Mowbray issues instructions from the touchline during his first game in charge of Coventry . Coventry's Jim O'Brien opens the scoring for the home side in just the fourth minute of the match . For Mowbray, who arrived at the club last week, Coventry City is a club of heritage and romance. It is Keith Houchen’s diving header crashing into the Wembley net in 1987, it is Jimmy Hill leading the ‘Sky Blue Revolution’, it is of a team that was a staple of the top division for 34 years. He has vowed to take them back there, to their ‘rightful place’. The reality is very different. Today, Hill’s bronze statue stands outside a superstore for the rugby club Wasps, whose amber and black logo looms over the main entrance. They own the place; Coventry City are strangers in their own home, seeking to get out in the next few years. The Ricoh Arena is magnificent, ready for the top flight. But few thought that would mean Premiership rugby union rather than Premier League football. Confidence has drained, crowds are down. When the club returned from their exile in Northampton 35 miles away back in September, over 27,000 packed into the ground. On Saturday, a mere 9,446 turned out. The potential for massive crowds is obvious but poor form has seen many return their scarves to the back of the wardrobe. The Coventry wide man wheels away in celebration after giving his side the perfect start . It’s because Coventry are staring at the indignity of fourth-tier football for the first time since 1959 and, after this chastening reintroduction to management after 16 months away, Mowbray is in no doubt as to how precarious their situation is. ‘If we’d sat here and we’d won, I’d be telling you how great it was but as a football manager it really hurts,’ he reflected. ‘The highs are really good, the lows low but there’s not much in between. ‘It would have been nice to give the fans a victory. I don’t think the players let them down but we are where we are.’ To be exact, still a sole point above the relegation zone after an afternoon that had started so positively for his team. The mere presence of the former Hibernian, West Brom, Celtic and Middlesbrough boss seemed to energise the place initially and Coventry led on four minutes through captain Jim O’Brien. The former Middlesbrough and Celtic manager holds his arms aloft in appeal at the Ricoh Arena . They were comfortable until two Port Vale goals just before the break turned the tables. Tom Pope and then the impressive Mark Marshall, released by Mowbray’s predecessor

Summary: Tony Mowbray suffered defeat in his first game in charge of Coventry . The Sky Blues lost 3-2 against Port Vale on Saturday . Despite that Mowbray is confident of a bright future at the Ricoh Arena . Elsewhere, Birmingham produced a stunning comeback at Derby to earn themselves a point in a 2-2 draw . In-form Ipswich striker Daryl Murphy missed a sitter in Brentford draw . Preston are flying high in League One - with six wins in seven games .


London’s British Museum remains the most popular tourist destination in the UK, welcoming nearly seven million visitors last year as the country’s tourism boom continued. The museum in Bloomsbury was tops out of more than 2,200 tourist sites represented by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva). Alva members saw a 6.5 per cent increase in visits in 2014 compared with 2013, thanks in part to Great War centenary commemorations, including the celebrated poppy display at the Tower of London, and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. An estimated five million people viewed the display of 888,246 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London . The British Museum held on to its status as the UK's most popular attraction with nearly 6.7 million visits . Scottish attractions reported an increase of nearly 10 per cent, while the number of visitors to London sites increased by seven per cent. Attractions in Northern Ireland reported a five per cent increase, while sites in Wales had an overall rise of just under six per cent. One of the most popular attractions in London proved to be the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at the Tower of London. Its moat was filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies – representing the number of British and Commonwealth casualties in World War I – drawing an estimated five million people who viewed the display from outside the walls. They contributed to a six per cent rise, to a little over three million, in annual visitors inside the Tower of London compared with 2013. The Library of Birmingham was the 10th most popular attraction in Britain, with 2.4 million visits in 2014 . Visits to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, London, which hosted new World War I galleries, soared 153 per cent to 914,774. Outside the capital, there was a 50.9 per cent increase, to 340,929, in visits to the National Trust’s Dunham Massey in Cheshire, which recreated its Great War role as a military hospital. In Scotland, the Commonwealth Games contributed to a four per cent increase, to more than 1.48 million, in visits to Edinburgh Castle, making it the most popular admission-paying attraction outside London. Glasgow's Riverside Museum had a 41.8 per cent rise in visitors, while the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh welcomed 39 per cent more compared with 2013. The British Museum held on to its status as the UK's most popular attraction with nearly 6.7 million visits, followed by the National Gallery in London, which was visited by nearly 6.42 million people, an increase of 6.4 per cent. Figures for London's Southbank Centre have been included for the first time in the Alva table, with the complex welcoming more than 6.25 million visitors, securing it third place in the overall list. The Library of Birmingham ranked 10th, with 2.4 million visitors. Edinburgh Castle, the most popular paid attraction outside London, benefited from the Commonwealth Games . The National Trust’s Dunham Massey in Cheshire recreated its Great War role as a military hospital . Museums and galleries enjoyed a 6.09 per cent increase last

Summary: British Museum ranked first by Association of Leading Visitor Attractions . Alva's 2,200 members saw a 6.5 per cent increase in visits in 2014 . Great War centenary commemorations contributed to the overall increase . An estimated five million people visited Tower of London's poppy display . Edinburgh Castle is the most popular paid attraction outside London . The Library of Birmingham ranked 10th overall, with 2.4 million visitors .


Jamie Oliver has warned that a new trade deal with America will open the door to inferior food, including beef pumped up with growth hormones, banned additives and pesticides. There are also concerns that GM crops and food produced in the USA, which have not been through more strict vetting procedures in Europe, could be forced on to dinner plates. The campaigner and chef held talks this week with Business Secretary Vince Cable to outline his ‘massive concerns’ that the deal could seriously undermine British food and farming. Concerns: Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has held talks with Business Secretary Vince Cable about his worries that rules to protect food in the UK and Europe could be lost with a new free trade pact . Campaigner: TV chef Jamie Oliver has long been an advocate of quality food and ingredients and has expressed 'massive concerns' over the potential of a new trade pact with America . The EU and the US government are negotiating a new free trade pact – known as TTIP – which will lift barriers to trade in key sectors of the economy across the Atlantic. The deal will make it easier for companies on both sides of the Atlantic to access each other’s markets, affecting pharmaceuticals, cars, energy, finance, chemicals, clothing, food and drink. However critics like the chef fear it will expose British families to inferior food and drink which does not meet the higher health and welfare standards that exist in this country and Europe. For example, US farmers are allowed to pump up beef cattle, which are raised on vast factory farm feed lots rather than in fields, with growth hormones. Similarly, they are allowed to boost milk production with hormone injections. Currently, these are banned in Europe on the basis of health concerns for consumers. Britain has effectively banned the use of certain artificial colours from food for children because of an association with hyperactivity, however these are not banned in the US. American farmers can also use pesticides that have been banned in this country as a health risk. Balance: Business Secretary Vince Cable, pictured, told Jamie Oliver his fears were unfounded . However, all these protections could be swept away, according to Jamie and other critics of the TTIP proposals – Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – which is the biggest free trade deal in history. Writing on Instagram, the chef told followers he had been to see the Business Secretary ‘to tell him my massive concerns about any possibility of the UK’s and Europe’s Food standards being compromised’. He said: ‘We have fought long and hard to get where we are today and I really don’t want feed lot beef with growth hormones, nor chickens washed with chlorine or food produced with banned pesticides and additives, to name but a few, and I certainly don’t want our farmers undermined.’ Mr Cable and his officials reassured Jamie that his fears are unfounded, but he went on to say: ‘Food is still on the negotiating table and that does mean technically anything can still

Summary: Worries GM crops and less vetted food will be forced on dinner plates . Chef spoke to Business Secretary Vince Cable about 'massive concerns' US farmers often rear beef on vast factory farm feed lots rather than fields . Laws allow them to pump animals with growth hormones . Concerns come as UK and US negotiate a new free trade pact .


A man who murdered a sheriff's deputy years after doctors removed part of his brain will be put to death in Missouri next week - but his lawyers are fighting for him to be saved. Cecil Clayton, from Purdy, will be executed at the state prison in Bonne Terre at 6pm on March 17 for the November 1996 shooting of Barry County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Castetter. But his attorneys are making a last-ditch attempt to save him by calling for a competency trial - saying a traumatic brain injury makes it impossible for him to understand his death sentence. In 1972, 24 years before he killed the officer, Clayton was using a sawmill when a board splintered and a shard went into his head above his right eye, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Facing death: Cecil Clayton is scheduled to die in Missouri next week but his lawyers are calling for a competency hearing. Twenty years before he murdered a cop, he had part of his brain removed, they say . Doctors were forced to remove 20 per cent of his frontal lobe, the area of the brain that controls decision making and emotions, the newspaper reported as it called for Clayton to be spared. Following the accident and before the arrest, Clayton frequently went to mental health facilities, spending up to 15 months at a time under psychiatric care. Then the evening before Thanksgiving in 1996, Deputy Castetter responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked outside Clayton's girlfriend's mother's home. Earlier that night, Clayton and his girlfriend had been arguing, and prosecutors said he then took a loaded gun to her mother's house. Clayton walked up to the deputy's patrol car window and shot him in the head at point-blank range. Castetter, a 29-year-old married father-of-three, died in the hospital later that day. He was convicted of the murder in October 1997 and sentenced to death later that year. His attorneys argued that he was mentally incompetent to stand trial but despite their appeals, state and federal appeals courts have upheld the conviction and the death penalty. His lawyers are now seeking a competency hearing to determine whether he understands his death penalty. Mental health professionals who have examined him agree that he is mentally impaired and has mental health issues, including dementia. Killed: Barry County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Castetter, pictured left, was shot dead by Clayton, pictured right in an old mug shot, as he responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle in 1996 . His most recent IQ test found he had an IQ of just 71 - 29 points below the average. 'He is not simply incompetent legally; he would be unable to care for himself or manage basic self-care, were he not in a structured environment that takes care of him,' according to a doctor who examined him, the Kansas City Star reported. 'He can shower, groom, eat, walk; it is his comprehension, judgment, memory, limited intelligence and social deficits that plague him.' But there is no agreement on how much he understands his

Summary: Lawyers for Cecil Clayton are seeking a competency trial to halt his execution, which is scheduled for March 17 at 6pm . In 1972, 24 years before he shot dead a police officer, he suffered a sawmill accident that caused a shard of wood to go into his head . Doctors were forced to remove 20 per cent of his frontal lobe . His lawyers argue that he has a low IQ, mental illness and is not competent enough to understand his death sentence . But a doctor from Missouri Department of Mental Health previously concluded that he did understand the punishment .


Ryan Seager has won the inaugural Barclays Under 21 Player of the Month award after impressing for Southampton in February. The 19-year-old made his debut for the senior team last month against Swansea, as well as scoring one and making one assist for the youth side, and has been chosen ahead of all the players in Division 1 and 2 (24 teams) based on his performance statistics. Seager also recently netted a hat-trick against Derby County in the Under 21 Premier League Cup, and is looking to follow in the footsteps of Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse in making the step up on the South Coast. Sportsmail held an exclusive Q&A with Seager after he found out about his award. Southampton youngster Ryan Seager has been chosen as the inaugural Barclays U21 Player of the Month . What's your style of play? A poacher, getting in around the box, it's where I score most of my goals. Who do you model your game on? Michael Owen in his early days, and obviously with Southampton it's Matt Le Tissier. He was my biggest inspiration from early on as a Saints fan. Have you worked with the first team? In the last few months and when I made my debut I was training with them quite a lot, they've got near enough a whole first-team squad fit now so it's getting harder but I still train with them every now and again. It's a good experience. Young striker Seager says he models his game on Matt Le Tissier (left) as a Saints fan and Michael Owen . Do you speak to Ronald Koeman often? He gives me advice in training, as do Shane Long and Graziano Pelle, with my shooting and movement. What do you do to relax away from football? Hobbies? I'd love to say golf but I'm not very good at it! I just relax really, I like all sports but don't play too many. Last album you listened to? Probably The Wanted, someone like that. Last film you watched? Fury. I loved it - I love war films. Another youngster you'd tip to make it at Southampton? Jake Hesketh. Made his debut for the first team in December, we're a good combination on FIFA! I've got a career mode on the game with Southampton at the moment, only in my first season so don't know if I get any good yet. I bring myself off the bench though... The 19-year-old fights for the ball with Chelsea midfielder Isaiah Brown during a youth game . Seager says the best youth player he has ever played against is Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj . Best young player you've played against? Adnan Januzaj in Under 18's. We played them away from home and he was just tearing it up. It was before he made his United debut, but I knew he would make it. What would you be doing now if you weren't a footballer? I think about that all the time. I've always thought it would be nice to work in a

Summary: Ryan Seager wins inaugural award after impressing for Southampton . Youngster made his Premier League debut against Swansea last month . England youth international chosen for award based on statistics . Sportsmail hold exclusive Q&A with 19-year-old .


Aditya Mehta was a surprise home finalist at the inaugural Indian Open but his hopes of repeating the feat were killed off by Ricky Walden on Thursday. The 29-year-old surpassed all expectations in October 2013, when Peter Ebdon, Mark Williams and Stephen Maguire were among his victims, before Ding Junhui inflicted a 5-0 defeat on the Indian cueman in the title match. Nudged back in the calendar to March this season, 50th-ranked Mehta would have longed to put together another decent run in his home tournament, but the figure of world number eight Walden loomed large in the draw. Ricky Walden saw off Aditya Mehta to deny the Indian a repeat success at his home tournament . And International Championship winner Walden came through a 4-2 winner to reach the last 16, where China's Tian Pengfei awaits him. Former world champions John Higgins and Williams advanced, Scotsman Higgins winning 4-2 against Jamie Cope and Welshman Williams with a final-frame break of 127 to fend off one-time Crucible king Ebdon 4-3. Next up for Williams is world number six Judd Trump, who was given a scare by amateur Adam Duffy and was far from persuasive as he edged through 4-3. Trump has been struggling with a shoulder injury and even considered withdrawing from the tournament. Trump said after beating Duffy: 'The shoulder is better than it was in my first match, though it is still not perfect. 'I don't expect much tomorrow, I will just battle like I did today and see what happens. I'm not going to play my best here. I just need to try to be patient because I know I'm going to miss balls that I don't usually miss.' Williams is hoping to hang around in Mumbai - because he is smitten by the local cuisine. Williams said, according to World Snooker's website: 'I've had two curries a day since I've been here. They are the best curries I've ever had, better than anything back home. If my wife asks me next week if want to go for a curry, I'll definitely have to say no.' Graeme Dott, the 2006 world champion, breezed to a 4-0 win over David Morris, with others through to the last 16 including Jamie Jones, Mark Davis, Kyren Wilson, Michael White, Nigel Bond and Chris Wakelin - the 22-year-old Warwickshire potter reaching the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time after a 4-1 victory over Andrew Pagett.

Summary: Aditya Mehta made the final at inaugural Indian Open . But Ricky Walden beat him 4-2 to reach the last 16 this time around . John Higgins, Mark Williams and Judd Trump also all advance .


An 18-year-old North Carolina woman who made headlines last year as the 'cute mugshot girl' after her arrest on drug charges has landed behind bars - and in front of a camera - once again. Alysa Bathrick enjoyed her 15 minutes of fame in December after she tweeted about her inaugural arrest and included her mugshot, which then got shared thousands of times. 'Surrendered myself at 7 a.m., got released at 11:30 a.m. F**k what you heard. And my mugshot's cute,' she tweeted. Scroll down for video . Ready for her second closeup: Alysa Bathrick, 18, who took Twitter by storm after sharing online her 'cute' mugshot in December (left) following a drug arrest, was picked up by police for shoplifting in January, resulting in another booking photo (right) Started Twitter craze: After Alysa Bathrick posted her mugshot along with this tweet, the admiration for her criminally good looks followed . Just over two months after her first arrest, the 18-year-old was picked up by police in Raleigh on shoplifting charges, reported WFLA. Her new booking photo, taken January 26, bears a strong resemblance to the now-famous mugshot, complete with her dramatic dark eyebrows and long highlighted hair parted on the right. After Bathrick posted her 'cute' jail photo from November, thousands of users took to Twitter to find out for what she's been arrested and also commented on her criminally good looks. 'Xanax homie' she tweeted when asked what she was arrested for. Bathrick mentioned on Twitter that she probably wouldn't have gotten caught if her 'ex -boyfriend hadn't told on her' but she won't have any trouble finding a new beau. Enamored men made sure to tell her they'd be willing to take her ex-boyfriend's place. '@_ahleesah you got arrested for stealing my heart. Cutest mugshot ever,' tweeted Señor Taco @DannyT4022 . 'Not gonna lie @_ahleesah is a hottie. Never judge a book by its cover. We all have our stories,' tweeted Abe M. @Broham25. Alleged dealer: When her new found fans asked her what she was arrested for she replied, 'Xanax homie' Law breaker or heart breaker?: Thousands of fans have fluttered to Bathrick's Twitter account after she posted her 'cute mugshot' '@_ahleesah you are too fine, lemme arrest you,' said Courson Eells @thecoursoneells. Bathrick isn't the only person arrested to gain recognition for their good looking mugshots. A tan, blue-eyed scorcher named Jeremy Meeks was arrested and charged June 18 with a felony charge of street terrorism, as well as for a misdemeanor charge of resisting/obstruction of justice. Since being arrested, Meeks was offered a modelling contract and became the subject of internet memes of him modelling Calvin Klein suits. Meeks also has a felony grand theft conviction from 2002. Last month, a man named Sean Kory who bares a striking resemblance to Jeremy Meeks was arrested for assaulting a man with a Tennis racket on Halloween. He was reportedly arrested over the weekend after yelling 'I hate Fox News' and attacking a person dressed as a Fox News reporter at a Halloween parade, reports RawStory. Despite hating

Summary: Alysa Suguro Bathrick, 18, tweeted about her arrest on December 1 and included her mug shot which then got shared over 1,000 times . 'Surrendered myself at 7 a.m., got released at 11:30 a.m. F**k what you heard. And my mugshot's cute,' she said . She was arrested again in late January on a shoplifting charge . In addition to Bathrick's mugshot both Jeremy Meek and Sean Kory's mugshots were shared on the internet for being attractive .


Bakery owner Karen McArthur (pictured) said that as a Christian she does not support gay marriage and 'knew in her heart' she could not make the cake . A Christian baker who refused to make a cake bearing a pro-gay marriage slogan has said she 'knew in her heart' she could not make the order. Belfast-based Ashers Bakery refused to make a cake featuring an image of Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie below the motto 'Support Gay Marriage'. Karen McArthur, one of the owners, gave evidence on the second day of the high-profile legal action being heard in Belfast's County Court. Mrs McArthur told the court: 'I knew in my heart that I could not put that message on the cake.' Northern Ireland's Equality Commission took the case against family-run Ashers Bakery on behalf a gay rights activist customer whose order was declined. Gareth Lee, a volunteer member of the LGBT advocacy group Queer Space, claimed he was left feeling like a 'lesser person' when his order was turned down. It had been ordered for a private function marking International Day Against Homophobia last May. Mr Lee told the court yesterday that he was left 'shocked' and in 'disbelief' when Mrs McArthur rang him and told him she would not be processing the order he had already paid for. Today Mrs McArthur told the court: 'The problem was with the message on the cake because, as a Christian, I do not support gay marriage.' District judge Isobel Brownlie heard that nine members of the McArthur family work in the business, which makes and delivers cakes across the UK and Ireland. Mrs McArthur and her husband Colin, who belong to Dunseverick Baptist Church, are the only shareholders with voting rights on how the company is run. Under cross-examination from Robin Allen QC, Mrs McArthur told the court she had been a born-again Christian since the age of seven and 'sought to please God' in how she led her life. She claimed she only took the order from Mr Lee in order to avoid a confrontation. 'I did not want to embarrass him or have a confrontation in the bakery,' Mrs McArthur told the court. Public opinion on the landmark civil case has been split in Northern Ireland and beyond. The Equality Commission, which monitors compliance with equality laws in the region, initially asked for the bakery to acknowledge it had breached legislation and offer 'modest' damages to the customer. But when Ashers refused, the commission proceeded with the legal action. Robin Allen QC, representing Mr Lee, said the baker's objection on religious grounds was unlawful. He told the court that Mr Lee had used the bakery in Royal Avenue in Belfast city centre 'regularly' before the incident. He said his client had seen a leaflet in the shop advertising a service where images could be printed in edible icing on a cake. He said there was nothing on the leaflet which suggested a limitation on the service due to 'religious scruples'. The barrister told the court that the order was accepted by

Summary: The owner of a Christian bakery refused to make a pro-gay marriage cake . Gay rights activist Gareth Lee's order for Bert and Ernie cake was declined . Karen McArthur told court she 'knew in her heart' she couldn't bake cake . Lawyer for equality campaigners says religious refusal was unlawful .


Writer and broadcaster Archie Macpherson says farewell to Dave Mackay on the day football’s legends joined the Tynecastle faithful in paying their respects to the former Hearts, Tottenham and Derby County superstar. History is suffused with irony. It will be noted by posterity that on a day when jubilation should have been coursing through the veins of every lover of Tynecastle, they were in fact muting the trumpets and draping the halls with black rather than maroon. They came to honour a man who hadn’t lived long enough to savour the triumphant emergence of his beloved club from near destitution. Crowds clap whilst the Hearse carrying the coffin of Dave Mackay leaves Tyncastle Stadium for his funeral . But the claiming of their new divisional title will now be a permanent reminder of the resilience that Dave Mackay bequeathed his club when he strode the turf with a broad-chested imperiousness that was the formidable bridgehead for Hearts’ triumphs in the 1950s. As they laid him to rest on Tuesday you couldn’t help but think that nature had played a cruel trick in ending his life only several weeks before the confirmation of the end of the struggle for credibility and self-esteem that his first club had been engaged in for so long. Mackay must, though, have had an inkling of the course of events which was leading inevitably to that apotheosis. The crowds who thronged the streets as the cortege made its way from Tynecastle itself for a remembrance service at Mansfield Traquair, and who threw their scarves at the procession as if to add sustenance to his last journey, must have believed that even in the later stages of his life he will have been mentally kicking every ball for his former club such was his lasting affection for the Gorgie Road. The hearse carrying Mackay's coffin was complete with flowers and a football to mark his passing . I was a student when I first saw the triumphant Hearts side of 1957-8 which he captained, when they not only won the title but created a British goal-scoring record of 132 scored and only 29 against. I don’t know particularly why but I do instantly recall a game they played against Clyde at the old Shawfield where you could be very close to the pitch and, to this day, I will always associate Mackay with ‘glaur.’ For there he was yomping his way through the mud like a primeval predator whilst, through his prompting, Hearts were playing the kind of slick football that as Glasgow boy I thought was simply the preserve of the Old Firm. And I cannot eliminate the image of his sliding into a tackle that took both Mackay and the Clyde man off the pitch and almost into the dog-track fence which surrounded the playing area. He wasn’t censured because the ball was what he was after and got. Nor was he ever sent off in any game he ever played in from schools football through to the highest senior level, although his reputation for toughness did

Summary: Dave Mackay's funeral was held in Edinburgh on Tuesday . Former Tottenham and Hearts midfielder died earlier this month aged 80 . Sir Alex Ferguson questioned why Mackay only managed to earn 22 caps for Scotland .


West Indies master-blaster batsman Chris Gayle will play for Somerset in this summer's NatWest T20 Blast. Destructive opener Gayle will join Somerset in late May, the exact date of his arrival depending on his involvement in the knockout stages of the Indian Premier League, and he will remain with them until June 13. Somerset hope the 35-year-old will therefore be available for six matches. Chris Gayle has signed for Somerset for the upcoming NatWest T20 blast competition . Gayle gestures to the crowd after West Indies' defeat to New Zealand at the Cricket World Cup in Wellington . Gayle is to miss next month's Test series against England in the Caribbean as he struggles with a back injury which is curtailing his opportunities in cricket's longer formats. He is a prolific boundary hitter, with more than 8,000 runs to his name in Twenty20 cricket around the world - and Test and one-day international statistics to match. He said: 'I'm excited about joining Somerset for the NatWest t20 Blast this year. 'Many of the club's members and supporters will know that I came close to playing for the county in 2012 and I have always felt that, if I was able to, I wanted to honour that commitment to Somerset. I'm looking forward to coming to Taunton and scoring some runs.' The New Zealand players celebrate after dismissing the explosive batsman in the quarter-final . Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard added: 'Signing a world-class player of the quality of Chris Gayle is tremendously exciting for the club. 'He will be a tremendous addition to our already extremely strong squad. He is an inspirational character and we are delighted to be bringing him to Somerset.' Gayle poses with a policewomen during his time at the Cricket World Cup with the West Indies .

Summary: Somerset hope Chris Gayle can play six games for them in T20 blast . Explosive West Indies batsman could arrive later due to IPL games . Gayle said: 'I'm excited about joining Somerset for the NatWest t20 Blast'


Newly released The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is every bit as starry as the first film, with Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Richard Gere centre stage. But India plays its supporting role with equal charm and grace. Painted elephants, marble palaces, magnificent forts, wandering cows, pale pink turbans and flickering candles tell of the noise, smells and rich colours of this flamboyant country. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was filmed in amid the beautiful backdrop of Jaipur in Rajasthan . Filmed in Rajasthan, the film is based in its capital, Jaipur. But ask any resident of the city about the film and you'll be met with a blank stare. Our wonderful guide, Rajendra, was aware of it only because a client had pointed out 'the apparently very famous Judi Dench' in the Rambagh Palace Hotel. Bollywood not Hollywood still rules the screens here. While it might be too late to see Richard Gere in the crowded alleyways of the bazaars, you will spot plenty of other desirable items. Jaipur is a shopper's paradise and Indians flock here for silks and the region's hand-made, block-printed cottons. The magnificent Amber Fort, to which you can ride on an elephant, offers panoramic views over Maota Lake and the ornamental gardens that seem to float within . This is also considered the place to come for jewels. The stones are not mined here, but cut, polished and set better than anywhere else. Visit the iconic jeweller of Jaipur, the Gem Palace, one-time court jewellers to the Mughal emperors and run by the Kasliwal family since 1852. Here are ruby chandelier earrings, enamel rings with floral mughal designs and moonstone necklaces. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is every bit as starry as the first film, with Judi Dench (pic), Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Richard Gere centre stage . You can watch them being worked on in their basement workshop, using skills that have been passed down the generations. For inexpensive sparkle, head to Bangle Lane (Maniharon ka Rasta) in the old city, where you can choose from a multitude of colourful lac bangles for a handful of rupees. Made from resin produced by the female lac insect, they are embedded with mirror pieces, stones, beads or painted. For fashion, Hot Pink is the most sophisticated venue, with high-collared men's waistcoats and moccasins in all hues, as well as kaftans and shawls. The best block-printed fabrics, a craft that dates back to the 1700s, are at Riddhi Siddhi, where cloth is piled from floor to ceiling. Wander, too, through the spice market, past paan wallahs filling betel leaves and the flower market, where scented roses, fragrant jasmine and marigolds are made into garlands to offer to your favourite deities. The Pink City is so-called for its coloured wash, intended to replicate Indian sandstone, a more noble material than the lime and mortar of which the buildings are actually made. With its city gates and crenellated walls, it makes for a striking sight. There are iconic landmarks, such as the five-storey, 18th-century Palace

Summary: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was filmed in Jaipur, Rajasthan . Jaipur is a shopper's paradise and Indians flock here for silks and cottons . The city is considered the best place to come for jewels in India . The Pink City is so-called because of the coloured wash on its buildings .


Members of the livestreaming site Twitch may have had their personal details stolen in what the company is describing as 'unauthorised access' to accounts. The Amazon-owned website allows users to livestream games as they play, with fellow users able to watch and listen in. It confirmed the site had been targeted in a blog post - although resisted calling it a hack or cyber attack - and told users that all passwords had been reset. The Amazon-owned website lets users live stream games as they play, with fellow users able to watch and listen in. It confirmed the site had been targeted in a blog post (pictured) - although resisted calling it a hack or cyber attack - and told users that all passwords had been reset . Amazon bought the website in 2014 for $970 million (£650 million), outbidding internet giant Google for the company. Twitch now receives more than 50 million unique visitors a month. In a post on the company's official blog, Twitch said: 'We are writing to let you know that there may have been unauthorised access to some Twitch user account information. 'For your protection, we have expired passwords and stream keys and have disconnected accounts from Twitter and YouTube. The suspected cyber attack on Twitch joins the growing list of notable breaches in recent months. Following a compromise of eBay usernames and passwords last year, there was the celebrity nude photo leak that affected A-list stars including actress Jennifer Lawrence. Thousands of photos were posted online after iCloud accounts were attack by hackers, who used brute force password-guessing software to breach security. Then in December, Sony Pictures was hit by a large-scale cyber attack that saw employee records posted online, as well as upcoming movies from the studio. Reports suggested that the hack was the work of North Korea in response to the Sony movie The Interview, which depicted the assassination of North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un. Sony's Playstation Network was also affected by the breach, suffering service problems over the Christmas period. 'As a result, you will be prompted to create a new password the next time you attempt to log into your Twitch account. 'We also recommend that you change your password at any website where you use the same or a similar password. We will communicate directly with affected users with additional details.' The website additionally said in an email to customers that the information compromised could include usernames, email addresses, passwords and even some limit credit card information, which Twitch described as 'card type, truncated card number and expiration date'. However, it added: 'Twitch does not store or process full credit or debit card information, so your card number is safe.' The site has so far declined to comment beyond the official blog post. Commenting on the attack, Mark James, security specialist at ESET said: 'Gaming sites have always been a lucrative target. 'Not only do they represent gamers that may use the same login and passwords as similar sites but they also enable the possibility of other electronic goods to be

Summary: Twitch lets users live stream games and allows fellow users to watch . Amazon bought the site in 2014 for $970 million (£650 million) It confirmed there may have been 'unathorised access' to some information . And, as a precautionary measure, has reset all passwords and stream keys . It has also disconnected linked accounts from Twitter and YouTube . Twitch receives more than 50 million unique visitors a month . It has resisted calling the breach a hack or cyber attack .


Mario Balotelli shared his distaste at the comments aimed at AC Milan's Sulley Muntari, which were made by Matteo Salvini, secretary of the anti-immigration Lega Nord party. The Ghanaian international conceded a penalty kick as the Serie A giants failed to beat Hellas Verona at the San Siro on Saturday. The Italian politician took to Facebook and posted the comments sparking much controversy. Mario Balotelli (centre) was furious at Matteo Salvini's comments aimed at AC Milan's Sulley Muntari . Muntari (left) was targeted by Salvini after he conceded a penalty against Hellas Verona on Saturday . He wrote: 'Immigrants who work well are welcome. So Muntari may return to his home.' The Liverpool forward, whose been criticised by Salvini before, couldn't quite believe what the politician had to say about the Milan midfielder. In an Instagram post containing a screenshot of Salvini's words, Balotelli wrote: 'This person is serious when he says this or what? He is also a politician? Then voting for me is better.' The Liverpool striker has previous with Salvini and he was quick to defend his friend Muntari . Salvini seemed undeterred by Balotelli as he insulted the Italian international with another Facebook post on Sunday. It read: 'The sense of humour of Balotelli is equal to his education in the field. 'He is angry because I criticised his friend Muntari? 'With all the millions that come to play ball, these gentlemen should accept ironies and criticism from fans, and smile. Take it easy Mario!' Salvini (right) is the secretary of the anti-immigration Lega Nord party and has insulted Balotelli before .

Summary: Mario Balotelli angry with Matteo Salvini over his Sulley Muntari comments . The Italian politician made the dig on his Facebook page after the Ghananian international conceded a penalty for AC Milan . Balotelli and Muntari were team-mates when they played at the Italian club . Click here for all the latest Liverpool news .


An enormous monument recording the scoreline of every England national football team defeat is expected to sell for £600,000 at auction. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan created the untitled piece in 1999 to celebrate the England national side's regular disappointments. Etched into black granite was every occasion the England side lost, from their 2-1 defeat to Scotland in 1874 up until Romania's 2-1 victory at the 1998 World Cup. The enormous granite piece of art (pictured) is expected to sell for £600,000 at auction . The artwork begins with a 2-1 defeat to Scotland in 1874 and ends with 1998's World Cup loss to Romania . The artwork, which is made of black granite set in MDF and steel, is 7.2ft high, 10ft wide and 2ft deep. The piece starts with England's 1874 loss to Scotland and ends with its 1998 World Cup loss against Romania. If continued until today, it would also incorporate Britain's losses to Uruguay and Italy in last year's World Cup. Also etched onto the granite would be the team's 4-1 humiliation at the hands of Germany in 2010 and the 2006 exit on penalties against Portugal. The piece of art will be auctioned off next week at Sotheby's New Bond Street gallery in London. The monument is being offered with a guide price of £400,000 - £600,000, which the average England footballer could pay for with one months' salary. CNN reported Cattelan as explaining it was 'a piece which talks about pride, missed opportunities and death'. Cattelan is notorious for his often satirical and biting art displays. Perhaps his best known piece is an effigy of Pope John Paul II being crushed by a meteor. Stuart Pierce's spot kick against West Germany is saved in the 1990 World Cup semi-final match, as England crashed out of the competition on penalties . Sol Campbell and David Seaman scramble as Romania's Viorel Moldovan scores a goal in England's 1998 2-1 defeat . Pictured is the moment David Beckham is red-carded in England's second-round match against Argentina in 1998, as his teammate Paul Scholes watches on in dismay. They went on to lose the game on penalties . And two years ago he made headlines when he placed a statue of Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in the former Warsaw Ghetto. Jewish groups expressed fury at the 'senseless' decision to install the provocative artwork in the area where thousands of Jews were forced to live during the rule of the Nazi regime. In total, around 300,000 Jews from the Ghetto died or were sent to their death in concentration camps. The statue, entitled 'HIM', attracted a large number of visitors when it was first installed in November 2012. The work was visible only from a distance, and the artist did not initially say what he intended viewers to read into Hitler's pose. Organisers of the exhibition of which the statue was a part said its point was to make people reflect on the nature of evil - but others were furious by its placement in such a sensitive site. Had

Summary: Huge granite monument created by Italian artist set to sell for £600,000 . Maurizio Cattelan, known for his satirical work, created the piece in 1999 . Etched in the rock is the scoreline of every national football team loss . It starts with a 1874 defeat to Scotland and ends in Romania's 1998 victory . It is up for auction next week at Sotheby's New Bond St gallery in London .


Roberto Di Matteo admitted he was finding Schalke's Champions League exit hard to take in after his side scored four at Real Madrid on Tuesday but still failed to make it past the holders and into the quarter-finals. Schalke produced one of the best performances of the season to claim a 4-3 victory at the Bernabeu but were eliminated 5-4 on aggregate after losing last month's last 16 first leg in Gelsenkirchen 2-0. 'On the one hand we are of course very happy that we managed to win but at the same time it's a bit hard to take in that we scored four goals in Madrid and didn't get through,' Italian Di Matteo told a news conference. Roberto Di Matteo issues instructions to his players from the touchline during the 4-3 win against Real Madrid . Former Chelsea boss Di Matteo admitted Schalke's Champions League exit was hard to take after netting four . Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored twice against his former club as Schalke were eliminated . Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, a former Real player, struck twice for the Bundesliga side, including an 84th-minute stunner that put them within a goal of pulling off a remarkable comeback. It was Real's first Champions League defeat at home in 22 games since Barcelona beat them 2-0 in April 2011 and was only the second time they had conceded four goals in a European game at the Bernabeu. However, a Cristiano Ronaldo double and a Karim Benzema strike were enough to secure a place for Real in the draw for the last eight on March 20. The Dutch striker's brace was not enough to see the Bundeliga outfit though after a 2-0 defeat in the first leg . 'I was hoping we could go into the break 2-1 up but we unfortunately didn't manage it. That would of course have made the game more interesting for us,' added Di Matteo. 'Perhaps we just didn't have that little bit of luck tonight that you need to get through such ties.' Schalke return to action in the Bundesliga with a game at Hertha Berlin on Saturday. They are fifth with 10 games left, three points behind third-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, and have a good chance of winning a berth in Europe's elite club competition again for next season. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for Real Madrid as they made it through to the Champions League last eight . The Portugal forward heads the ball past Schalke goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther at the Bernabeu . Di Matteo said the quality of Real's forwards had been the difference between the two sides, who met at the same stage last term when Real won 9-2 on aggregate on their way to a record-extending 10th European crown. 'We didn't allow Real Madrid to get into a rhythm but they have such quality in the team and they showed that both in the first leg and tonight,' Di Matteo said. 'They had relatively few chances and scored three goals and that makes a difference. Like our Real Madrid Facebook page.

Summary: Schalke remarkably beat Real Madrid 4-3 at the Bernabeu on Tuesday . But Real won the first leg 2-0 to progress to the last eight 5-4 on aggregate . Roberto Di Matteo said going out after scoring four was hard to take in . Former Real striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar scored twice for the visitors . Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace and Karim Benzema got the other .


Vandals have daubed 'Martinez out' and 'Not good enough' slogans on the outside of Goodison Park in protest at Everton's poor season. The graffiti, aimed at manager Roberto Martinez, appeared in white paint on the back of the Bullens Road and Goodison Road stands overnight. A member of Everton club staff was seen painting over the messages early on Sunday morning. This 'Martinez Out' message was daubed on the outside of Goodison Park on Saturday night . It was accompanied by another slogan that read 'not good enough' in protest at Everton's poor season . Everton manager Roberto Martinez has come under pressure following a poor season . Everton's chances of winning silverware this season ended with defeat to Dynamo Kiev on Thursday . Everton have endured a difficult season and sit 14th in the table ahead of Sunday afternoon's trip to Queens Park Rangers, having won just two of their last 13 league games. Unlike the last campaign, they have been unable to sustain a push for the European places and hopes of silverware were ended when Dynamo Kiev knocked them out of the Europa League in midweek.

Summary: 'Martinez out' and 'Not good enough' slogan appeared at Goodison Park . The graffiti was in white paint and daubed on back of Bullens Road stand . Everton club staff painted over slogans in blue paint on Sunday . Toffees are 14th in Premier League table after disappointing season . Roberto Martinez's side lost to Dynamo Kiev in Europa League in midweek . They travel to London to face Queens Park Rangers on Sunday afternoon .


Australian Grand Prix organisers have dismissed suggestions a number of Formula One teams are threatening to boycott the race over safety fears surrounding McLaren. Fernando Alonso's crash during the second pre-season test last month in Barcelona, which rendered the Spaniard unconscious and resulted in a three-day stay in hospital, has left many observers perplexed. To avoid the prospect of second-impact syndrome, Alonso is to sit out next weekend's season-opening grand prix in Australia, returning for the subsequent race in Malaysia on March 29 . Fernando Alonso leaving hospital last month following his crash during testing with McLaren in Barcelona . Alonso was flown away by helicopter following the crash at the Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona . McLaren have categorically made clear there was no car or systems failure that led to the incident at the Circuit de Catalunya on February 22, instead blaming a freak gust of wind. The explanation is seemingly unconvincing to some and it has led to suggestions of concern from other teams, to such an extent talk of a boycott has apparently been mentioned. But Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott has refuted such gossip. Alonso in pre-season testing with McLaren before his crash in Barcelona last month . Speaking to The West Australian, Westacott said: 'We're talking to the teams, Formula One and the FIA multiple times every day and a boycott certainly hasn't been raised or discussed. 'All the teams are coming to Melbourne; they're excited about the start of the new season, the freight is on its way, Formula One personnel are on site at Albert Park setting up the broadcast and from our perspective it's 100 per cent all systems go. 'We hold no fears about anything apart from containing the enthusiasm of the Australian public across the four days.'

Summary: Organisers dismiss suggestions that F1 teams are threatening boycott . Fernando Alonso's pre-season crash left him hospitalised for three days .


Raising the legal tobacco age to 21 across America would lower the number of premature deaths by almost 250,000, according to new research. The report, issued by the Institute of Medicine, examined the public health impact of increasing the age across the US to 19, 21 or 25. And it concluded that if it were to be raised to 21 now, it would result in about 249,000 fewer premature deaths for people born between 2000 and 2019. Raising legal tobacco age could lower the number of premature deaths in America by almost 250,000 . It could mean 45,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer and 4.2million fewer years of life lost for the same generation, the report suggests. While the report does not make any recommendations, officials say, it provides the scientific guidance states and localities need to evaluate policies aimed at reducing and eliminating tobacco use by young people. It also intensifies renewed government efforts to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1964 surgeon general's report that launched the anti-smoking movement. Most states have set the age at 18, which is the federal minimum. Four states - Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey and Utah - have set the age at 19 and several localities, including New York City, have raised the minimum age to 21. Most states have set the legal age for buying tobacco at 18 - the federal minimum. But in some areas you have to be older: . 19: Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey, Utah . 21: Suffolk County; New York City; Evanston, Illinois; Columbia, Missouri; a number of towns in Massachusetts; Englewood, New Jersey and Hawaii County, Hawaii . Increasing the federal age would take an act of Congress, which mandated the report in a 2009 law that gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco. Survey results released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in June showed fewer than 16 percent of the teens smoked a cigarette in the previous month — the lowest level since the government started doing the survey in 1991, when the rate was more than 27 percent. Another CDC study had already put the teen smoking rate below 16 percent, but experts tend to treat this survey's result as the official number. According to Thursday's report, 90 percent of the people who have ever smoked daily first tried a cigarette before 19 years of age and nearly all others tried their first cigarette before the age of 26. If the minimum age were to be raised to 19 today, the report says, there would be about a three percent decrease in smoking prevalence in 2100. Raising the legal age for buying tobacco to 21 could mean 45,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer and 4.2million fewer years of life lost for the same generation, the report suggests . That decrease would rise to 12 percent if it were to be raised to age 21 and 16 percent if it were raised to age 25. There's a 'growing interest' in

Summary: Report examined public health impact of increasing age to 19, 21 and 25 . Raising the legal age to 21 could result in 249,000 fewer premature deaths . Most states currently have set the age at 18, which is the federal minimum . But Alaska, Alabama, Utah and New Jersey have already set the age at 19 .


A legendary and outspoken Jewish comedian is blasting President Barack Obama – and the Hollywood community – for letting Israel twist in the wind following Benjamin Netanyahu's stunning re-election on Tuesday. In a radio interview set for broadcast on Sunday, Jackie Mason complains that Obama 'doesn't see that Hamas is a problem. ... He doesn't care that they want to wipe us out.' 'I'm not saying he is on the side of the people who literally want to wipe us out,' Mason cautioned, 'but if he's not on their side, it's certainly hard to tell which side he's on. Because you don't hear him attacking the Hamas half as much as he is attacking Bibi Netanyahu.' Mason phoned the Tel Aviv-based Aaron Klein Investigative Radio program from his home in New York City. Daily Mail Online heard an advance copy of the segment. SCROLL DOWN FOR AN AUDIO CLIP . BITING: Comedian Jackie Mason lashed out at Barack Obama, saying 'you don't hear him attacking Hamas half as much as he is attacking Bibi Netanyahu' FINGER POINTING: Obama has been on a streak of aggressive reactions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's come-from-behind re-election on Tuesday . The sharp-tongued comedian focused on the White House's continued objection to settlements build by the Israeli government in places the Palestinian Authority considers 'occupied' territories. 'How often have you heard him say "We have to do something because we have to put a stop to Hamas's aggressions"? To Hamas bombing Israel every day? To all the bombs that are falling?' Mason asked. Radio host Aaron Klein scored the interview with Mason, who called the Tel Aviv-based program from his New York City home . 'I never heard him complain. You know what he complains about? A settlement was extended. Two more toilets were added to a certain settlement. And a kitchen was extended on the other side.' 'Between the kitchen and the toilets, that's creating the whole problem,' he fumed. 'And there's too many kitchens and too many toilets.' He said Obama's 'design is to intimidate the prime minister of Israel. ... He wants a peace-making process that will leave Hamas intact and [so] that the enemies of Israel shouldn't be too disturbed.' '"Just because they want to squash Israel or eliminate Israel",' Mason imagines Obama saying, "there's no reason why they shouldn't be given a chance to operate".' The 83-year-old had his claws out for Hollywood as well, saying America's entertainment moguls – even those who are Jewish – tend to be aligned against Israel. 'The truth of the matter is that Hollywood is basically anti-Semitic,' he claimed. 'It's hard to believe that a Jewish organization like Hollywood – Hollywood was created by the Jews and they were the original creators of almost all the major studios of Hollywood. ... Almost every studio is either a partner with a Jew, or a Jew is a boss, or a Jew is involved in it. ... The Jews were always attracted to show business. So what do you think happens?' VICTOR: Netanyahu's Likud party won enough

Summary: Jewish comedic legend said Hamas militants 'want to squash Israel or eliminate Israel' The US president, he claims, believes 'there's no reason why they shouldn't be given a chance to operate' Mason thinks Hollywood has become anti-semitic because successful 'retarded ... morons' with guilt complexes see Palestinians as underdogs . He wil be in London June 1-3 doing standup act . Comments came on Tel Aviv-based 'Aaron Klein Investigative Radio' show .


A juror who helped to convict Amanda Knox has revealed she has 'grave doubts' over the American's involvement in the murder of Meredith Kercher. Knox is pictured above in Seattle last month . A juror who helped to convict Amanda Knox has revealed she has 'grave doubts' over the American's involvement in the murder of Meredith Kercher. Job centre worker Genny Ballerini, who served on a panel of citizen judges that reinstated Knox's murder conviction last year, has slammed the prosecution's case citing 'questionable proof, flimsy evidence and bizarre testimony'. The motive put forward by prosecutors that Knox killed Miss Kercher after she complained about the American leaving the bathroom dirty seemed like 'nonsense', she said. Miss Ballerini, 48, suggested that the pair did not get a fair trial because there was 'an atmosphere of guilt' in the deliberation room before it even began. Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found half-naked with her throat slit in 2007 in the Perugia cottage she shared with Knox, 19. Knox and former boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito served four years for the brutal killing but were freed on appeal in 2011. Knox immediately returned to the US and has rebuilt her life, finding love with old school friend Colin Sutherland and working on her local newspaper in Seattle. But last year an appeal court reinstated the original convictions ordering the pair to serve 28 and 25 years respectively. A third suspect Rudy Guede was convicted in a fast track trial and is serving 16 years for the murder. Italy's highest court will hear Knox and Sollecito's final appeal next week. If convicted Italy can request Knox's extradition. But while the Supreme Court could rubber stamp the conviction later this month, Miss Ballerini's claims could derail the case. The court can send the case back back to an earlier appeal stage if the decision taken by the lower court was found to be illogical or inconsistent. The juror told Oggi magazine: 'I certainly had many doubts about the guilt of the two young people. I was not convinced of their innocence but I thought and I said to the others as well: "The evidence that we have is not sufficient to inflict all these years in prison". Meredith Kercher (left), 21, was found half-naked with her throat slit in 2007 in the Perugia cottage she shared with Knox, 19. Knox and former boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito (right) served four years for the brutal killing but were freed on appeal in 2011 . Miss Ballerini was part of the panel that reinstated Knox's conviction last year. She said: 'I said immediately that I did not agree and they took note.' Above, Knox sits alone before being interviewed in January 2014 . She added: 'There was not enough, in my opinion, to justify such a heavy sentence: questionable proof, bizarre testimony and flimsy evidence.' She dismissed the alleged motive as 'nonsense' and said: 'You do not massacre a girl because she complained about a bit of a stink in the bathroom.' And she was equally doubtful about Sollecito's

Summary: Genny Ballerini served on panel that reinstated Knox's conviction last year . 48-year-old suggests American and Raffaelle Sollecito did not get fair trial . Motive was 'nonsense' and proof was 'questionable', Miss Ballerini said . Knox and Sollecito served four years but were freed on appeal in 2011 . Last year an appeal court reinstated their original murder convictions .


A single mother-of-four rejected by American Idol three times is now set to land a record deal after a DIY music video she made hit the web and went viral. Kimberly Henderson, 26, from Sunter, South Carolina, filmed herself singing Sam Smith's version of the Whitney Houston track How Will I Know to her one-year-old daughter, Vaida, last December. The clip - which has since been viewed more than 2.6 million times - landed the full-time nurse an opportunity to record her own track and since then her phone has apparently been ringing off the hook. Scroll down for video . Lucky break: A single mother-of-four rejected by American Idol three times is now set to land a record deal after a DIY music video she made hit the web and went viral - above, seen in a new music video . Finding fame: Kimberly Henderson, 27, from Sunter, South Carolina, filmed herself singing Sam Smith's version of the Whitney Houston track How Will I Know to her one-year-old daughter, Vaida, last December . Henderson told Fox News that she is being courted by four different record companies and she is working with a manager to negotiate a deal. She says she has been singing since the age of two and doing it full-time would be a dream come true. Currently Henderson - who has four children aged one to ten - works two jobs as a healthcare worker and receives help from relatives with child care. She says she barely gets time to stop but recently she took time out to go and record her own high-gloss music track in Los Angeles called Tiny Hearts. The beautiful ballad, which she penned in just 24 hours, focuses on her her experiences as a single parent. The first verse describes her earliest months as a young mother to her baby girl. Baby steps: The clip - which has since been viewed more than 2.6 million times - landed the full-time nurse an opportunity to record her own track and since then her phone has apparently been ringing off the hook . Working mom: She says she barely gets time to stop but recently she took time out to go and record her own music track in Los Angeles called Tiny Hearts . 'My friends are doing normal things like going to the movies and on dates and out on the weekends. And I’m at home,' she explains. 'I felt like I was missing out on something, but coming home to her and being with her gave my life more meaning.' The music-making trip of a lifetime was paid for by Cosco Kids, a company which makes baby products. Apparently the firm found out Henderson was in a bad car crash and a Cosco car seat saved her child’s life. Managers from the business then came up with a way to support her musical endeavors. Tiny Hearts was released in January and it jumped to number 53 in the charts. An accompanying music video captured Henderson in action with her children and singing at

Summary: Kimberly Henderson, 26, from Sunter, South Carolina, filmed herself singing Sam Smith's version of the Whitney Houston track How Will I Know to her one-year-old daughter, Vaida, last December . The clip has since been viewed more than 2.6 million times . It also helped land the full-time nurse an opportunity to record her own track called Tiny Hearts . Since then her phone has apparently been ringing off the hook .


The costly legal standoff over Julian Assange took a dramatic turn yesterday when Swedish prosecutors said they were prepared to question the WikiLeaks founder in Britain. For almost three years Assange, pictured, has been claiming asylum in London’s Ecuadorian embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over rape allegations. The 43-year-old faces arrest if he steps outside, and taxpayers have spent more than £10million on police who monitor him 24 hours a day. Swedish Prosecutors have offered to travel to London to question Wikileaks founder Julian Assange . Swedish officials until now refused to question him in London over the allegations of rape, sexual assault and illegal coercion. But yesterday lead prosecutor Marianne Ny announced that they will now travel to Britain – because time is running out. Under Swedish law they only have until August to pursue the claims relating to sexual assault and illegal coercion. Miss Ny said that an interview conducted at the embassy would be of lower ‘quality’, but added: ‘Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies.’ Her team will also seek a DNA swab. Assange, who is currently holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy, is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sexual assault allegations . Today one of the Australian's lawyers welcomed the offer by Swedish prosecutors to travel to the UK and said it was likely their offer would be accepted. 'This is something we've demanded for over four years,' said Per Samuelson. 'Julian Assange wants to be interviewed so he can be exonerated. So of course we welcome this.' However, Assange may stay in the embassy for another five years until the more serious allegation of rape also expires in Swedish law. By then the bill for Scotland Yard’s sentry duty would be around £30million. Assange’s spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson has repeatedly said that the activist – who denies the accusations – has no intention of turning himself in. Yesterday, Mr Hrafnsson called the offer by Swedish prosecutors ‘a victory for Julian’, but insisted the delay had been ‘absolutely outrageous’. He said: 'I assume this is because it is extremely likely that Julian will win a case in the Supreme Court in Sweden, determining that the arrest warrant be dropped. Assange's lawyers welcome the move by the Swedish prosecutors to travel to London to quiz him . The surveillance operation outside the Ecuadorian Embassy has so far cost the UK taxpayers £10million . 'The court has recently announced it will hear the case, and it is quite obvious it will rule in Julian's favour.' Mr Hrafnsson said the Swedish prosecutor had 'done nothing' to move the case forward for years. Assange has been fighting extradition to Sweden since it issued a warrant for his arrest in August 2010. Two years later he was granted political asylum by Ecuador. He believes that if he goes to Sweden, he will be extradited to the US and questioned over classified state documents that were published by WikiLeaks. Last month Stephen Greenhalgh, London deputy mayor for policing, said the cost of

Summary: Swedish prosecutors offer to come to London to question Julian Assange . Wikileaks founder currently holed up at Ecuadorian embassy in London . Wanted in Sweden for questioning as part of a probe into rape allegations . 43-year-old has refused to return to Sweden to refute the charges . Australian's lawyer welcomes decision by the Swedish authorities .


A £235,000 house collapsed into a pile of rubble after builders started to 'reconfigure' the inside of the property to split it into two homes. The property on Rodney Way, Romford collapsed at 6.20am on Tuesday leading the London Fire Brigade to evacuate surrounding residents because of fears of a potential gas leak. However, the two-storey property, which had been sold for £235,000 in August, had been undergoing major work as part of the redevelopment project. The two-bedroom end of terrace house was reduced to rubble after it collapsed on Tuesday morning . Builders had been stripping the interior of the house as part of the project shortly before the collapse . According to a planning application with the London Borough of Havering, permission had been granted to demolish an existing garage at the end-of-terrace site. Developers were also granted permission to build an extension at the side and to the rear of the site and reconfigure the interior of the existing house to create two, two-bedroom houses. The Health and Safety Executive confirmed it is aware of the situation and are investigating the cause of the collapse. The house was advertised as a 'two bedroom end terrace house with detached house and driveway to the side plot measuring 16ft width from the existing house with great potential to build to the side subject to planning permission.' According to the planning file, Dovetail Architects asked the council for permission for the 'demolition of existing garage and construction of a single, with part two storey rear extension and double storey side extension, reconfigeration of internal arrangement to create 2 x 2 bedroom dwelling both with private amenity and off-street car parking.' Dovetail Architects have not yet responded at the time of publication. Under the plan, builders were going to convert the end-of-terrace property, pictured, into two two-bedroom homes after demolishing the garage, right, and building an extension to the side of the site . London Fire Brigade was forced to evacuate houses within a 50-metre radius after a gas main was ruptured . An 80-year-old neighbour who witnessed the heavy German bombing of East London when she was a child said: 'It looks like something from the war - it could've been the Blitz. 'But unlike the war I didn't go climbing over the rubble like I would've done when I was a kid. 'Somehow I managed to sleep right through it too but it must've been a terrible noise.' Residents were evacuated and a 50 metre exclusion zone was put in place when the collapse fractured a gas supply. Romford firefighter Jason Frisby said: 'The house was under refurbishment and had been completely stripped out. 'Fortunately, it was unoccupied at the time it collapsed and no-one was injured. Had it collapsed when the builders working on the house were inside, they may not have been quite so lucky.' Structural engineers are now working to determine what caused the house to collapse. A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: 'Lady Luck was shining in Romford earlier, a house collapsed and amazingly no-one was injured.'

Summary: The two-bedroom end of terrace house collapsed on Tuesday morning . Builders had demolished a garage and stripped the inside of the house . Developers wanted to build a second house on the side of the original . The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the cause of the collapse . Elderly neighbours claimed the disaster reminded them of 'The Blitz'


The richest woman in Australia, Gina Rinehart, has relisted her extravagant investment property in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Mosman. Located at 18A Bradleys Head Road, the sprawling four bedroom home has spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge and city skyline from the upper level. Previously lived in by Rinehart's daughter Hope Welker and her husband Ryan, the couple vacated the home when they made the move to New York in 2011, according to Property Observer. Scroll down for video . Gine Rinehart has relisted her extravagant investment property in Sydney's exclusive suburb of Mosman . Previously lived in by her daughter Hope Welker and her husband, the house will go to auction on March 26 . The redundant property has large open plan living area and a kitchen perfect for entertaining . It was purchased for $5.4 million in 2007, but attracted a bid of only $4.3 million when it went under the hammer in December 2013 . Inside the walls are exposed sandstone and the interior features 'huge glass-framed living and dining wrapped in terraces . Set to go to auction on March 26, this is the second time the property has been listed, after it attracted a bid of only $4.3 million when it went under the hammer in December 2013. Gina Rinehart recently hit headlines after she threatened to sue the Nine Network over it's portrayal of her in their recent TV mini-series 'House Of Hancock' Boasting four king-size bedrooms, four bathrooms, two secure parking spaces and huge open plan living areas the stunning home has been listed with Ray White Lower North Shore. It was purchased for $5.4 million in 2007. The backyard gives way to a stunning centrepiece wet-edge pool, a cabana, lush gardens, and an outdoor shower. Inside the walls are exposed sandstone and the interior features 'huge glass-framed living and dining wrapped in terraces', according to the listing on Ray White. The kitchen is perfect for entertaining with a marble island and built-in Miele appliances. Upstairs two of the four bedrooms have ensuites and all feature built-in wardrobes, with the master boasting a dressing room and balcony with sweeping city views. Gina Rinehart recently hit headlines after she threatened to sue the Nine Network over it's portrayal of her in their recent TV mini-series 'House Of Hancock'. The two-part series drew attention from the mining magnate and she demanded to see the second episode before it went to air. Ms Rinehart's solicitor Mark Wilks said after the program that Nine had been aware of glaring errors in the second episode that were misleading and 'twisted'. Despite the network's disclaimer the show was a 'drama, not a documentary', it remained devoid of factual accuracy, he told AAP. There are four bathrooms in the home, two of which are ensuites . All four bedrooms also feature built-in wardrobes, and are very spacious . The backyard gives way to a stunning centrepiece wet-edge pool and a cabana . It also features lush gardens, an outdoor shower and plenty of space for entertaining . The property has two

Summary: Gine Rinehart's investment property has been listed for action this month . The four bedroom property is located in the Sydney suburb of Mosman . From the top level the house boasts a full view of the Harbour Bridge . The master bedroom has a dressing room and sweeping city views . The home also features a centrepiece pool, cabana and outdoor shower .


Paul Scholes discovered the perils of reporting on the touchline when a stray ball hit the Manchester United legend during the warm-up at St James' Park. Yet it could have been a lot worse for the BT Sport pundit when you compare it to others that suffered similar fates when presenting by the pitch. Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown was victim to a flying ball during his punditry duty at the Emirates in 2012, and even manager Harry Redknapp fell foul during a training session. Paul Scholes discovered the perils of reporting on the touchline at St James' Park on Wednesday night . Scholes reacts after the ball hits him during the warm-up for Newcastle vs Manchester United . Redknapp reacted furiously during a television interview when a ball hit the then-Portsmouth manager as he shouted: 'How can you kick that over here? You try kicking it in the goal and you hit me? 'Got to get some f****** brains, haven't you? No wonder he's in the f****** reserves.' Speaking with FourFourTwo in 2003, he refused to name which player he was yelling at: 'I mustn't tell you the name of the player. It wouldn't be fair. He was on shooting practice and I was standing at the corner flag when the ball hit me – that tells you everything.' At least that wasn't in front of an audience like Sportsmail's unfortunate columnist in January 2012. Arsenal legend Keown got smacked in the face while on duty for ESPN by a stray ball during the warm-up for an FA Cup match at the Emirates where Leeds United were the visitors. Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown is smacked by the ball during the warm-up for Arsenal vs Leeds United . The Arsenal legend is hit as he is asked a question during his punditry duty for ESPN in January 2012 . Keown was hit by a stray ball during the warm-up but joked about it in his column for the Daily Mail later . Writing in his column for the Daily Mail days later, Keown joked about the incident: 'It was a former Spurs man who you may have seen hit me with the ball while I was on-air on Monday night. 'Alex Bruce tipped me off that his Leeds team-mate Michael Brown – the ex-Tottenham midfielder – was the culprit. At least he was apparently trying to aim at Robbie Savage, not me.' Over to Germany, where SkySports reporter Jessica Kastrop was smacked in the back of the head by a stray shot from former Chelsea player Khalid Boulahrouz in 2010. The footage shows the ball getting closer and closer to its victim until it knocks her forward. Kastrop said afterwards: 'I was fine eventually. Boulahrouz ran over to me straight away and apologised.' What about in other sports? American football has its moments, too, such as when Fox reporter Pam Oliver was hit by a Chandler Harnish throw. Thankfully she laughed it off afterwards. SkySports reporter Jessica Kastrop was smacked by a stray shot from ex-Chelsea player Khalid Boulahrouz . Michael Owen (left)

Summary: Paul Scholes was a BT Sport pundit at St James' Park on Wednesday night . The Manchester United legend was hit by a stray ball during the warm-up . Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown has experienced the same previously . Harry Redknapp reacted furiously when he was hit by a ball in training .


Solitary: Steve Fuller has worked as the winter caretaker of Yellowstone National Park since 1973 . Steve Fuller has lived in New York, San Francisco and London, but the place he decided to settle down is about the opposite of any booming metropolis. For the past 42 years, Fuller has worked as the caretaker of Yellowstone National Park, protecting the park's buildings during the long and brutal winter months. He lives in a small cabin alone during the winter, with enough food stored up since his closest neighbors are a two-hour snowmobile ride away. It sounds like the premise of Stephen King's thriller The Shining, but Fuller claims he's never felt lonely or the least bit antsy cooped up alone in his cabin. 'Never had cabin fever. Never been bored,' the 70-something outdoorsman told CBS. That's because there's plenty of work to keep Fuller busy. Winter preparation starts in November, when he works with a crew to board up his share of the parks about 100 buildings. Then, once everyone is gone, he waits for the snow to come - and it never disappoints. Yellowstone averages about 150 inches of snowfall a year and Fuller has to stop it from accumulating on the roofs of the park's buildings, which can collapse under the weight of the snow. Over the years, Fuller has developed a system which takes some of the hassle out of shoveling the roofs. Instead, he uses a saw to cut the snow into blocks which he then pushes off the roof with the help of gravity. Fuller has been doing the job since 1973, when he was the only applicant and the pay was just $13.24 a day. Over the years, Fuller's responsibilities have grown and now he is one of the only Yellowstone staffers who work at the park year round. Scroll down for video . Content: In the winter, Fuller stays behind to take care of his section of the park. But he says he never gets lonely . Tough work: During the day, Fuller works to keep about 100 buildings free from snow, since they can collapse under the several feet that accumulate every year. He has developed a method of sawing the snow into blocks and pushing them off the roof, which makes the job a little easier . The cold months: The winter care-taking job starts at the beginning of November and ends whenever plows can reach the park. Above a group of bison seen in a snow-covered Yellowstone field . Winter home: This small 100-year-old cabin is where Fuller calls home. he packs it with just enough food to last the winter . While most caretakers only last a few years in the job, Fuller continues because he's comfortable with the solitude and has the right interests to make the job fun. Amazingly, Fuller has no TV in his small cabin, which he estimates is about 100 years old. Instead, he gets his news by tuning into Wyoming Public Radio and entertains himself with his vast library of books. He also spends a

Summary: Since 1973, Steve Fuller has worked as the winter caretaker of Yellowstone . The job starts at the beginning of November and ends when plows can reach his lodge . During the winter he is about a two-hour snowmobile ride away from his closest neighbors . He spends the days clearing snow from about 100 buildings in the park . His nights are spent in a cabin without TV, reading . In his down-time, he also enjoys cross-country skiing and taking pictures of the winter landscape .


A 26-year-old man has been found guilty of sodomizing and strangling to death his girlfriend's four-month-old baby daughter in a horrific 2012 attack following just four hours of jury deliberations. Jordan Lafayette Prince was convicted on Thursday of brutally sexually assaulting and murdering little Ashlynn Lillith Peters at his mobile home in St Charles, Missouri. He is now facing life in prison. At a hearing earlier this year, Prince's girlfriend and Ashlynn's mother, Jessica Lynn Howell, 27, was jailed for 25 years after admitting felony murder and child abuse in relation to the infant's death. Howell had encouraged her boyfriend to sexually assault Ashlynn in the sickening attack, authorities said. The helpless baby was then beaten and strangled by Prince, apparently to silence her crying. Guilty: Jordan Lafayette Prince (pictured in his police mug shot) has been found guilty of sodomizing and strangling to death his girlfriend's four-month-old baby daughter following four hours of jury deliberations . On Thursday, Prince showed no emotion as he was convicted of first-degree murder, child abuse and forcible sodomy in the killing of Ashlynn in December 2012, according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch. His attorney had argued that prosecutors had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Prince had hurt Ashlynn, claiming no DNA belonging to the suspect had been found to support their claims. Ashlynn was rushed to hospital on the morning of her death after being discovered lifeless and alone inside Prince's home in Deerfield Village. Despite medics' best efforts, she later died of her injuries. Although her cause of death was ruled to be asphyxiation, prosecutors said the forcible sodomy - carried out with an unknown object - had caused enough internal bleeding to have killed her. Shocking: Prince was convicted on Thursday of brutally sexually assaulting and murdering little Ashlynn Lillith Peters (pictured with her mother, Jessica Lynn Howell, who has been jailed in relation to her death) Scene: On Thursday, Prince showed no emotion as he was convicted of first-degree murder, child abuse and forcible sodomy in the killing of Ashlynn at his mobile home (pictured) in St Charles, Missouri, in 2012 . During Thursday's hearing, assistant prosecutor Phil Groenweghe said Ashlynn's future hopes, dreams and achievements had been 'snuffed out' for 'one morning of sexual fun by this defendant'. Earlier in court, forensics expert Dan Fahnestock had testified that bloodstains found on the infant's blanket on the day of her assault and death were consistent with both the victim's and Prince's DNA. But he admitted he did not know how or when the blanket had been stained. Meanwhile, medical examiner Dr Mary Case told the court Ashlynn's neck bruises were consistent with strangulation. She also detailed the horrific injuries that Ashlynn had suffered during the sexual assault. They included severe blood loss that totaled around one-third of the infant's blood volume, STL reported. Convictions: At an earlier hearing Howell (pictured, left, in her mug shot), 27, was jailed for 25 years after admitting felony murder and child abuse in relation to Ashlynn's death. Right, Prince in a previous mug

Summary: Jordan Lafayette Prince, 26, found guilty of killing Ashlynn Lillith Peters . He sodomized the four-month-old baby girl, then strangled her to death . Sickening assault took place at his mobile home in St Charles, Missouri . Prince showed no emotion as he was convicted of murder and sodomy . Earlier this year, his partner and Ashlynn's mother, Jessica Lynn Howell, was jailed for 25 years for felony murder and child abuse relating to case . She had encouraged Prince to sexually attack her baby, authorities said .


The three ‘Jihadi brides’ stole family jewellery to pay for their flights out of the UK, it was revealed yesterday. Police have discovered they paid the £1,000 cost of their flights from Gatwick airport to Istanbul in cash. Before they went missing, the girls are believed to have communicated with 20-year-old Aqsa Mahmood, a notorious jihadi who left Glasgow last year. Scroll down for video . Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and Amira Abase, 15, left Britain to join ISIS in Syria last month . The former medical student has become the online contact of choice for those wanting to travel to Syria and marry a militant fighter. One of the girls, Shamima Begum, used her Twitter account to try to contact her directly, asking for her to open a private line of communication. Friends suspect the girls were in touch with Mahmood and Islamic State recruiters via their mobile phones in the weeks before Christmas. Investigators are also examining whether the trio managed to exchange messages with their 15-year-old friend after she disappeared on December 6. Police revealed yesterday that two women, aged 20 and 21, have been arrested in North London over the latter’s disappearance. The suspects were held on suspicion of an offence under the Child Abduction Act and will answer bail next month. Former medical student Asqa Mahmood, 20, a notorious jihadi who left Glasgow last year, left. Right, Kadiza Sultana, who is understood to have taken a piece of jewellery from her family to fund her plane ticket . Mark Rowley, who has overall responsibility for police counter terrorism, said the three girls would not be arrested for terrorist offences if they returned to the UK. ‘We have no evidence in this case that any of the three girls are responsible for any terrorist offences,’ he said. This hand-written list shows some of the vital items the ISIS recruits needed to buy . The girls were pictured going through security at Gatwick Airport last month, dressed in Western clothes. They were later seen on CCTV in Turkey, dressed in burkas and waiting for a bus to take them to the border with Syria. They are now believed to be in Raqqa, Islamic State’s stronghold and scene of some of its most barbaric atrocities. In an unfortunate turn of events, the Met had a counter terrorism officer based in Turkey but he was on annual leave when the girls touched down. At least 22 young women, the vast majority under the age of 20, are feared to have travelled to Syria from the UK over the past 12 months. Police said the total confirmed number of people travelling to fight is now around 700, with many more suspected of flying out undetected. Last night, the girls’ families insisted that someone else helped them with the cost of the air tickets as the missing jewellery was not worth £1,000. Halima Khanom, sister of Kadiza Sultana, said: ‘My sister used to borrow a piece of jewellery off my daughters that was very sentimental to her and that’s what she’s

Summary: Girls aged 15 and 16 disappeared from their London homes last month . They are believed to have paid £1,000 cost of flights from Gatwick in cash . Teenagers are now believed to be in Raqqa, the 'capital' of ISIS's territory . Police believe the girls funded the trip to Syria by stealing family jewellery . Girls' families insisted someone else must have helped with cost of ticket .


Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been thrown a lifeline by Australian voters just as his internal opponents appeared ready to dump him, with the latest opinion poll confirming a pro-government shift is under way. The Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Monday puts the coalition almost neck-and-neck with Labor in two-party terms at 49-51. That's the best result since October and a big improvement on the 54-46 split recorded in January. Scroll down for video . As speculation about Tony Abbott's leadership rumbles on, a Fairfax-Ipsos poll published on Monday puts the coalition almost neck-and-neck with Labor in two-party terms at 49-51 . Labor's primary vote dropped four points to sit at 36 per cent, while the Coalition gained four points to hit 42 per cent, according to the poll of 1,406 voters. The results confirm a surge in government support suggested last week by Newspoll, which found primary support for the government rising three points. Yet Mr Abbott continues to lag behind Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull as preferred leader of the Liberal Party, with the latter scoring highter in all of 10 leadership attributes voters were surveyed about. Just one fifth of those polled believe Mr Abbott enjoys the confidence of his party. Half think Mr Turnbull does. Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten remains the preferred prime minister compared to Mr Abbott, but his margin has been slashed from 16 points to five since the previous poll to sit at 44-39. On sunday, Mr Abbott laughed off the latest round of leadership talk as recycled rubbish, saying the matter was settled by the failure of a spill motion in the Liberals' party room three weeks ago. The latest opinion poll is the best result for the Liberal party since October and a big improvement on the 54-46 split recorded in January . The results confirm a surge in government support suggested last week by Newspoll, which found primary support for the government rising three points . But talk of a second spill motion this week persists, after reports a majority of Liberal MPs and senators now want to dump him. A relaxed Mr Abbott poked fun at the leadership rumours at a Clean Up Australia Day event on NSW's south coast on Sunday. 'This is Clean Up Australia Day, and I'm just not going to do anything but recycle the rubbish,' he joked. 'And that's what's happening, we're just recycling rubbish today.' A party room spill motion three weeks ago was defeated 61-39, and the coalition was getting on with governing, Mr Abbott said. 'Frankly I think the people of Australia are sick of the insider obsessions of people in Canberra,' he told reporters. Mr Abbott continues to lag behind Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull as preferred leader, losing out in all 10 of the leadership attributes surveyed . Tony Abbott has laughed off the latest round of leadership talk as recycled rubbish, saying the matter was settled by the party room three weeks ago . Prospective leadership contenders Julie Bishop and Mr Turnbull steered clear of the speculation, with both declaring their support

Summary: Coalition almost neck-and-neck with Labor in two-party terms at 49-51 . Monday's Fairfax-Ipsos poll shows best result for Coalition since October . Poll confirms surge in government support despite leadership speculation . But Tony Abbott lags behind Malcolm Turnbull as voters' preferred leader . Abbott laughed off the latest round of leadership talk as 'recycled rubbish'


The man accused of murdering Morgan Huxley says he had a consensual sexual encounter with him before an intruder hit him over the head, knocking him sideways. Daniel Jack Kelsall, who has pleaded not guilty to stabbing Mr Huxley to death on September 8, 2013, told the NSW Supreme Court on Monday he was invited to his Neutral Bay apartment on Sydney's North Shore. The 22-year-old says he struck up a conversation with Mr Huxley while walking home in the early hours of the morning. Scroll down for video . Morgan Huxley (pictured) was fatally stabbed on September 8, 2013 at his Neutral Bay apartment on Sydney's North Shore . Daniel Jack Kelsall, who has pleaded not guilty to stabbing Morgan Huxley to death on September 8, 2013, told the NSW Supreme Court on Monday . He said Mr Huxley was smiling during the friendly chat but became more serious as he started talking about how he had had a 'stressful week'. 'He said he had some problems with work,' Kelsall said. 'I said something like, "Do you want to talk about it?". 'He seemed a little hesitant about it and then he said, "Yeah, I could do with someone to talk to".' Mr Huxley then invited him to his apartment, Kelsall told the jury. Jessica Hall (middle) - the ex-girlfriend of Morgan Huxley - gave evidence at Daniel Jack Kelsall's murder trial in Sydney last week . Rebecca Prins, who was dating Morgan Huxley in the months before his death, is pictured leaving the NSW Supreme Court after giving evidence . After talking for a while about Mr Huxley's work, which 'wasn't going so well', Kelsall said he asked the 31-year-old "Do you want to do things with me?" The pair then went upstairs to Mr Huxley's room. 'He (Mr Huxley) came in after me and turned off the lights and he immediately dropped his pants.' With his shoes still on, Kelsall said Mr Huxley lay down on his bed. Kelsall told the court he sat between Mr Huxley's legs and began fondling his penis. 'Then something hit me in the side of the head. It really hurt,' Kelsall said. Mark Kelsall gave evidence last week at the trial of his son Daniel who is accused of killing Morgan Huxley in 2013 in the victim's Sydney apartment . Paramedics Mark Lenehan and David Rigby, who were the first responders to the home of murder victim Morgan Huxley, were pictured arriving at the NSW Supreme Court last week . 'I kind of looked up and there was another person in the room. I got up and ran. 'I knew there was at least one (person there). It could have been more.' He told the court he didn't tell police because he was afraid of having anything to do with the murder. 'I want to make amends and tell the truth for a terrible lie I have told and I want them (the jury) to understand my side of the story,' Kelsall said. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments

Summary: Morgan Huxley, 31, was fatally stabbed in his Sydney apartment in 2013 . Man accused of his murder, Daniel Jack Kelsall, faced court on Monday . He says he was invited to Mr Huxley's apartment after meeting on street . The 22-year-old says they had consensual sexual encounter before intruder hit him over the head and attacked them both .


Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb has become the latest player to sign a national dual contract. The Welsh Rugby Union announced 26-year-old Webb is the eighth player to agree a deal that is funded by the WRU and Wales' regional teams - in Webb's case, the Ospreys - following Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, Jake Ball, Samson Lee, Rhodri Jones, Tyler Morgan and Hallam Amos. Webb has been one of Wales' form players this season, scoring four tries in his last seven Tests. Rhys Webb (centre) has signed a national dual contract with the Welsh Rugby Union and the Ospreys . 'Rhys has established himself as a proven international scrum-half and fully deserves a national dual contract,' Wales head coach Warren Gatland said. 'He has impressed at regional level for the Ospreys, and this ensures his future here, which will prove an enormous benefit to professional rugby in Wales.' And Webb added: 'I am enjoying my rugby at the Ospreys and with Wales, and this allows me to build on that. Scrum-half Webb has four tries in his last seven Tests and has impressed during the RBS 6 Nations . 'Now my future is confirmed, I can focus all my attention of becoming a better rugby player.' Webb, who lines up for Wales in next Saturday's RBS 6 Nations finale against Italy in Rome, is set to be a key part of Gatland's World Cup plans later this year. WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis said: 'Rhys Webb is a fantastic player and talent, who is a great addition to our list of national dual-contracted players. 'We now have an incredible mixture of experience and youth who have committed their future to Wales and the regions.' Webb hits the turf after tackling Ireland's Sean O'Brien during Wales' impressive win on Saturday .

Summary: Rhys Webb is the eighth player to sign dual contract with the WRU . Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, Jake Ball, Samson Lee, Rhodri Jones, Tyler Morgan and Hallam Amos are the other Welsh players on dual contracts . Scrum-half has four tries in his last seven Tests for his country . Webb says he can now focus all attention of becoming a better player .