Manny Pacquiao's preparations for the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather Jnr have been disrupted by his opponent's manager/adviser, claims trainer Freddie Roach. Pacquiao took to Instagram on Thursday to post the latest video of him at work from his Los Angeles training camp, as his $300million bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas draws closer on May 2. However, Roach has accused Al Haymon - who works with Mayweather - as attempting to sabotage their sparring selections ahead of the fight. VIDEO Scroll down to see Manny Pacquiao training ahead of Floyd Mayweather bout . Manny Pacquiao uploaded an Instagram post on Thursday undergoing some shadow boxing . Pacquiao's welterweight unification bout against Floyd Mayweather is expected to total $300million . Al Haymon is an adviser, manager and/or promoter to many top boxers in the United States. The Cleveland-born Haymon initially made his fortune in music by promoting such acts as MC Hammer, Whitney Houston and The O’Jays before venturing into boxing. A business administration graduate, his biggest client is Floyd Mayweather Jnr - who he helped leave Top Rank promotions. As well as Mayweather his elite 150-fighter stable also includes Britain's Amir Khan, Deontay Wilder and Julio Cesar Chavez - a man Carl Froch is keen to fight. The 55-year-old claims that they have had several chosen sparring partners, who have a similar fighting style to Mayweather, decline their offer to train with their camp because Haymon's team have offered them more more money to stay at home - in attempt to derail their preparations. 'I'm hiring sparring partners, Al Haymon's people calls them up and offers more money for them not to come. [But] I'm not worried about those guys,' Roach told ABS-CBN News. 'We got four really good sparring partners for Manny for this fight, Mayweather look-alikes. 'We started our game plan five years ago but we changed it a little bit. Definitely there will be some adjustments. I'm confident that we'll win the fight and this will be the biggest fight night of all our lives. 'The guy is undefeated, he's a very good boxer and he's the most talented fighter we'll ever face. He's tricky also... he's intelligent as a fighter. I believe we need to fight the perfect fight.' Freddier Roach (right, pictured in November) claims Al Haymon is paying fighters not to spar with Pacquiao . Haymon (centre) works with Mayweather (right) as his manager/adviser and helped arranged the May 2 fight . Roach (right) believes Haymon has paid fighters to stay at home - in a bid to derail Pacquiao's preparations . The eagerly-anticipated bout on May 2 pits Mayweather's WBA and WBC welterweight world titles against Pacquiao's WBO crown in a unification fight. The two camps have had an acrimonious relationship at times in the past and that appears to have continued following Roach's latest comments. Despite the apparent setbacks, Pacquiao looked in good shape judging by his most recent social media upload which demonstrated his hand-speed. The Philippine star's trait, combined with his punching-power, has proved a destructive

Summary: Manny Pacquiao fights Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand on May 2 . Pacquiao shows off impressive hand-speed during training session . 36-year-old's trainer Freddie Roach claims their plans are being sabotaged . Roach believes Al Haymon is paying people not to spar with Pacquiao . Haymon is a manager/adviser that works with Mayweather . CLICK HERE for all the latest Pacquiao vs Mayweather news .


Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has vowed to protect British soldiers if the Conservatives win the General Election . British soldiers will be protected from ‘ambulance-chasing’ lawyers if the Conservatives win the General Election, the Defence Secretary pledged last night. Human rights laws will be ‘ripped up’ to ensure those who fight for their country can no longer be hounded in the courts, Michael Fallon said. He promised to end ‘abuse’ of the Human Rights Act by law firms and so-called victims, who he said were lodging claims on an ‘industrial scale’. Such claims were costing the taxpayer millions of pounds and undermining the vital work of the military, Mr Fallon warned. The Tories will confirm their commitment to diminish the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights in their manifesto. As part of this, the Human Rights Act will be scrapped and soldiers will be subject to a new British Bill of Rights which will reflect the pressures they face in combat. Mr Fallon said: ‘This abuse has got to stop and the next Tory government will limit the reach of human rights cases to the UK so our forces overseas are not subject to persistent human rights claims.’ Figures yesterday showed legal claims over incidents involving British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have already cost the taxpayer nearly £90million over the last ten years – a figure expected to soar even further. Many of the so-called ‘victims’ of these incidents have used the ECHR to demand millions of pounds in compensation. Two public inquiries alone have cost the Ministry of Defence £55.9million. The Al Sweady Inquiry looked into claims lodged by two legal-aid-funded firms – Public Interest Lawyers and Leigh Day – that British troops murdered, mutilated and tortured Iraqi detainees. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, pictured, said yesterday: ‘We can’t go on with a situation where our boys are hamstrung by human rights laws' After an inquiry costing £31million, the allegations were found to be ‘wholly and entirely without merit or justification’. Despite this, the law firms are continuing to pursue cases against the MoD for deaths in Iraq using the Human Rights Act. If the rules are not changed, top brass fear being bombarded by 2,230 more legal claims. There are concerns that troops will in future have to call a lawyer before taking action – even in the heat of a battle. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said yesterday: ‘We can’t go on with a situation where our boys are hamstrung by human rights laws … I made it clear last year that I want to rip up Labour’s Human Rights Act and that it is only the Conservatives who will make real changes to the human rights framework to restore some common sense.’ Rules governing conflict would fall under the Geneva Convention, which allows lethal force as a first resort against enemy combatants. Last night former military chiefs welcomed the move. Colonel Tim Collins, served in the Iraq War, said: ‘It is about time this happened. To [some] lawyers … the Iraqis are only a vehicle for

Summary: Conservatives vow to ensure soldiers are no longer hounded by courts . Will diminish UK's membership of European Convention of Human Rights . Soldiers will be subjected to British Bill of Rights that will better reflect combat pressures . Incidents involving British soldiers have cost taxpayer nearly £90million .


Arsenal's Mesut Ozil ranks alongside Chelsea's Eden Hazard as Europe's joint-top attacking midfielder in 2015, a study has found. Ozil's performances in the Barclays Premier League led to him being labelled a 'flop' previously, but rankings by CIES Football Observatory suggest the £42.5million player is pulling his weight. The statistical research group compiled rankings for the position based on shooting, chances created, take-ons, distribtuon, recovery and rigour, and gave Ozil and Hazard a score of 100 each. Arsenal's Mesut Ozil ranks alongside Chelsea's Eden Hazard as Europe's joint-top attacking midfielder . Ozil's performances in the Premier League led to him being labelled a £42.5million 'flop' previously . =1. Eden Hazard, Chelsea (100) =1. Mesut Ozil, Arsenal (100) 3. Jesus Navas, Man City (86) 4. Kevin de Bruyne, Wolfsburg (85) 5. Shinji Kagawa, Borussia Dortmund (84) 6. Marek Hamsik, Napoli (79) 7. David Silva, Man City (77) 8. Maximilian Meyer, Schalke (73) =9. Roberto Pereyra, Juventus (72) =9. Javier Pastore, PSG (72) It follows Ozil revealing he is 'convinced' he can win the Ballon d'Or within the next few years. The German World Cup winner moved to Arsenal from Real Madrid in September 2013, and has been trying to adapt to the 'physical test' of the Premier League. 'If I continue to develop well and stay healthy, I would like, in the next few years, to hold the Ballon d’Or in my hands. I am convinced that it can happen,' Ozil told Sport Bild. 'I’m feeling very positive. I’m a world champion and I play at a top club in the Premier League. 'There is much more of a physical test here than there is in Spain or in the Bundesliga – I constantly have bruises, but that makes me harder. I feel physically better than ever.' The 26-year-old, currently on international duty with Germany, made headlines for the wrong reasons previously after being spotted in a Berlin nightclub just hours after missing Arsenal’s Premier League win over Newcastle United due to a cold. Ozil has not scored in all competitions since February 7 and has three Premier League goals to his name this season, while Hazard has 11. Chelsea's Hazard pictured in action for Belgium during their 5-0 win over Cyprus on Saturday night . Hazard ranks top of the attacking midfielders in Europe but what is more surprising is that he is tied with Ozil . Ozil congratulates Marco Reus (right) after he scored against Georgia in a 2-0 win in Euro 2016 qualifying . Arsenal's Ozil pictured in action for Germany during their 2-2 draw with Australia last week in a friendly . CIES Football Observatory Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are: .

Summary: Mesut Ozil and Chelsea ace Eden Hazard are joint-top attacking midfielders . Arsenal star Ozil had been labelled a 'flop' previously after £42.5m move . CIES Football Observatory compile the rankings by focussing on shooting, chances created, take-ons, distribution, recovery and rigour .


It could be football's greatest ever dynasty – Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid's head coach and his four sons out on the pitch in the famous white shirts playing for him. It sounds far-fetched, but then so does the idea that Zidane could be Real's B-team coach and that his offspring would be at various levels of the club's youth system – which is already a reality. Sportsmail looks at the chances of things going to the next level. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch Theo prove he's a chip off the old block . Zinedine Zidane is currently Real Madrid's B-team coach and could replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu . Zidane enjoyed a glittering career as a player at Real and his sons are all currently at the academy . The coach . Zinedine Zidane has spent three days in Munich this week under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid are hoping that what the teacher did for Barcelona the pupil will one day do for them. Club president Florentino Perez has decided he wants the former player to lead the side one day and Zidane is preparing for the possibility that it could come as soon as next season. He is one of seven French coaches spending this week at Bayern Munich's training facilities where along with former Real Madrid team-mate Claude Makelele he is seeing first hand how Guardiola works. Next season he could be in the same position Guardiola was in 2008 – having graduated from his club's youth system to take charge of the first team. He will cut the same sharp-suited imposing figure on the touchline and he will command the same respect among rivals, players and media, but will he be as prolifically successful? Zidane visited Bayern's training ground with Bernard Diomede (left) and Claude Makelele (right) this week . Real hope Zidane can emulate Pep Guardiola's transition from a player to boss with Barcelona and Bayern . Zidane currently coaches Real Madrid's second team, Castilla, in one of Spain's four regional third-tier divisions. If Castilla win their division they will go into a play-off for a place in the second division next season. But by then Carlo Ancelotti may have moved on and Zidane may have stepped up to replace him. There is no question a career as a coach is what the former Ballon d'Or and World Cup winner wants. As well as this week's masterclass with Guardiola he has also been to Marseille to watch Marcelo Bielsa work. He wants to coach the France team one day and if their 2016 campaign on home soil were to end in tears there would be calls for him to take charge of the national side he once lead to the biggest prize in football. The Madrid job will probably come before the national team however. Those who have seen him at close quarters on the training pitch say he's inspirational and has none of that haughtiness that sometimes prevents great players from being able to improve lesser mortals. Zidane lead France to

Summary: Zinedine Zidane is currently the Real Madrid B-team (Castilla) coach . Florentino Perez wants former star to be manager at Real in the future . Zidane has four sons - Enzo, Luca, Theo and Elyaz all playing at the club . Enzo is a No 10 like his father while Luca is an impressive goalkeeper . It could be football's greatest ever dynasty if all four make it in the game . CLICK HERE for all the latest Real Madrid news .


The first video of Mohammed Emwazi - identified last week as ISIS executioner Jihadi John - has emerged . The first footage of ISIS executioner Jihadi John as a shy teenage schoolboy has emerged. The video shows Mohammed Emwazi, identified last week as the Islamist fanatic filmed beheading hostages in Syria, being chosen by a classmate to join in with a game of lunchtime football. The previously-unseen footage was filmed 11 years ago at Qunitin Kynaston Academy, the secondary school in St John's Wood, north London, where Emwazi was educated. The friendly kickabout is the first moving image to have been obtained of Emwazi before he became the ISIS's depraved executioner-in-chief. In the film, obtained by Channel 4 News, the 'football mad' teenager, thought to be around 15 at the time, is the second person to be chosen for the team. One of his fellow pupils can be clearly heard shouting 'Emwazi', beckoning over the future jihadi. But he also appears to be painfully shy, instantly raising his arm to cover his face when he knew the camera was focusing on him. Channel 4 News said Emwazi had been identified in the video by two different people that he knew at the time. The footage, filmed in May 2004, was broadcast this evening, after it emerged that the executioner had dumped two schoolboys on the M1 motorway at gunpoint in revenge for an attack on his brother. According to a former friend of his brother Omar, Emwazi and two bearded associates abducted two gang members in 2008, while he was living on the notorious Mozart estate in west London. After viewing the footage, Diane Foley, the mother of American journalist James Foley, told Jon Snow it was 'frightening' that a 'promising young person who had many gifts' could use his talents for 'such evil'. She said: 'It's very frightening he would end up filled with such hate. That's very disturbing to me that young people would be attracted to such hate?' She added that the fact Jihadi John had been identified did not help to bring her closure. She said: 'If it had not been that young man, then I'm afraid it would have been someone else. I think it's tragic for that young man and his family - it's just so sad and we must do more to protect our young people from the lies that have instilled so much hate and brutality.' Since being identified, Emwazi has emerged as a fun-loving young boy, who adored The Simpsons, Playstation games and eating chips. He was also said to have wanted to become a Premier League star, scoring goals for Manchester United by the age of 30. Scroll down for video . The video shows Emwazi, aged around 15, being chosen by a captain to join the team for a game of football . The footage, which is the first time any moving image has been obtained of Emwazi, was shot in the playground of Qunitin Kynaston Academy, the secondary school in Queen's Park . In a handwritten entry in his primary

Summary: First time Mohammed Emwazi seen on camera since he was unmasked . It shows him being chosen to play football in playground, aged around 15 . Emwazi appears to be shy, covering his face when camera moves on him . Video filmed at Qunitin Kynaston Academy, his London secondary school . 'Football mad' Emwazi supported Manchester United and liked S Club 7 .


Spencer Robinson, 36 was arrested after he allegedly damaged more than 30 headstones because 'he wanted to help the dead resurrect' A Utah man was arrested after allegedly damaging more than 30 headstones because he wanted to help the dead come back to life on Easter. Spencer Robinson, 36, told officers he believed the tombstones would interfere with the deceased's chance to resurrect, according to police. When police arrived at the Payson City Cemetery on Monday they found that dozens of tombstones had been moved or smashed into pieces. Some had been thrown over a fence. Payson Police Lt. Bill Wright estimated the damage to be around $50,000. He said some of the tombstones were more than 100 years old and were probably irreparable, according to the Associated Press. Officers were notified that Robinson had been removed from the cemetery only days earlier when workers spotted him moving headstones. Police went to Robinson's house after they found his cell phone at the graveyard. A family member told them Robinson said he was going back to the cemetery to 'finish the job', according to Fox 13 Now. Robinson had told the relative he believed many of his friends would be freed for the Easter resurrection, according to police. Police then tried to arrest Robinson in his backyard, but he ran into the house and locked them out. Officers forced their way into the home and handcuffed Robinson after wrestling him to the ground. According to officials, Robinson has a possible mental health condition. Wright said Robinson told police the tombstones were 'unfair and inconvenient', and that he was 'trying to help the deceased'. Robinson has been charged with damaging property, resisting arrest and criminal trespassing. When police arrived at the Payson City Cemetery (pictured) in Utah on Monday, they found that dozens of tombstones had been moved or smashed into pieces and some had been thrown over a fence .

Summary: Utah police said Spencer Robinson, 36, told them he believed the tombstones would interfere with the deceased's ability to come back to life . Police found dozens of grave markers moved, smashed and thrown over a fence at the Payson City Cemetery on Monday . They estimate damage to be around $50,000 and said some headstones that were more than 100 years old are likely irreparable . Officials believe Robinson has a possible mental health condition .


Several business owners in Austin were horrified this week to find large stickers bearing the message 'Exclusively for white people' affixed to their storefronts. As thousands partied and pitched new technologies at the SXSW festival, staff at an East Austin bakery were wondering who would want to announce to their customers 'Maximum of 5 colored customers/colored BOH staff accepted.' 'As a multiracial family with a multiracial staff, there's nothing funny about this … It's sick,' Olivia Guerra O'Neal, owner of Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, told KXAN. 'We are disgusted by this act of vandalism and cowardice.' Shocking: These stickers appeared overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday on the storefronts of at least six Austin, Texas businesses . The stickers also appeared during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday on a Mexican restaurant, clothing store, bicycle shop and others. The glossy stickers also feature what looks like an official City of Austin seal and the message 'sponsored by the City of Austin Contemporary Partition and Restoration Program.' But Austin Mayor Steve Adler wants the world to know his city had absolutely nothing to do with the stickers. 'This is an appalling and offensive display of ignorance in our city. Austin condemns this type of hurtful behavior. Our city is a place where respect for all people is a part of our spirit and soul. We will keep it that way,' Adler said in a statement. While Austin appears to agree the stickers are wholly inappropriate, no one is sure what their point is. Video from KEYE-TV . 'Some jokes are not funny': Business owners can't agree on what the stickers mean--is it racist or a message about gentrification?--but all say they're inappropriate . 'Appalling and offensive display of ignorance': The stickers said they were sponsored by Austin's 'Contemporary Partition and Restoration Program' along with an official-looking city seal, which led the mayor to condemn the confusing prank . Some say the creator is attempting to make a statement. 'People are saying that this may be an attempt at satire, or a statement about gentrification,” said O'Neal said. Others say it could be an offensive joke. 'Some jokes are not funny,' Texas House of Representatives member Dawnna Duke wrote in a Facebook post along with a photo of a sticker affixed to clothing store Rare Trends. 'If this is a joke at all, it is tasteless...I will be damned if this will occur in my House District … in this historical black community or any community.' Regardless of its intent, Sugar Mama's employees have labeled it a hate crime. 'Today we were the victim of what I consider to be a hate crime against our family and staff at our Eastside location,” reads a post on the bakery's Instagram feed. 'Our business was built on family and love and we will let that shine on.'

Summary: Stickers bearing the message 'Maximum of 5 colored customers/colored BOH staff accepted' appeared overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday . The stickers were affixed to at least 6 businesses in the hip East Austin neighborhood as thousands partied and swapped tech trends at SXSW . Business owners can't agree on what the stickers mean--is it racist or a message about gentrification?--but all say they're inappropriate . Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared the messages 'an appalling and offensive display of ignorance in our city'


England's plans for the Calcutta Cup showdown with Scotland have been undermined by yet another midfield injury – as Brad Barritt limped out of Saracens’ win at Wasps on Sunday. In the 58th minute of the Aviva Premiership encounter, the 28-year-old was contesting a high kick but landed awkwardly and his right leg bent backwards as home fly-half Andy Goode landed on it. He was treated on the field before being helped off. Initial indications were that Barritt had suffered a medial ligament strain in his knee, but that early prognosis soon changed. Brad Barritt, hopeful of an England return against Scotland, limped out of Saracens’ win at Wasps on Sunday . Barritt's injury after Andy Goode landed on his leg initially seemed to be to his knee, but was to his ankle . After his side’s 26-17 comeback win, Saracens’ director of rugby, Mark McCall, said: ‘It seems to be his ankle. The knee seems to be okay. We’re all hopeful it won’t be too serious. 'It didn’t look very good and Brad has been unlucky this season. I’m sure he’ll be close to selection for England next weekend, so fingers crossed it’s not as bad as it looked.’ Barritt was due to join up with the rest of the England squad at their Surrey HQ on Sunday night and he will face urgent medical assessments on Monday, as the coaches wait to discover if he will be available for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations clash with the Scots at Twickenham. With Luther Burrell of Northampton unable to train last week due to a calf strain, Barritt was seemingly destined for a recall at inside centre, but now his hopes hang in the balance. Saracens’ director of rugby Mark McCall is hoping Barritt's injury isn't as bad as it looked . Barritt (obscured by Goode) was penalised for this challenge on Goode in the air that caused the injury . Barritt was due for a recall to the England side as Northampton's Luther Burrell struggles with a calf strain . The Saracen was an heroic mainstay of England’s autumn victory over Australia in his last Test appearance, but a calf injury in that game kept him out for a month, then he damaged knee ligaments in his clubs’ European Champions Cup tie against Clermont Auvergne in France. That untimely setback meant Barritt was unable to retain the national No 12 shirt, as he surely would have done if he had come through that pre-championship weekend unscathed. Stuart Lancaster, England’s head coach, will hope that if Barritt isn’t cleared for a return against Scotland, Burrell does recover in time. The alternative option would be to pick Billy Twelvetrees at inside centre, but the Gloucester captain’s form has been alarmingly inconsistent this season. If Barritt is fit to play, he is set to rejoin the back line along with Harlequins full-back Mike Brown – despite Alex Goode’s superb efforts at No 10 for Saracens yesterday. Up front, Northampton lock Courtney Lawes is expected to come into the second row in place of George Kruis.

Summary: Brad Barritt was set to replace injured Luther Burrell against Scotland . Barritt landed badly after challenging Wasps' Andy Goode in the air . Saracens centre suffered an ankle injury but is a chance of being fit . Sarries boss Mark McCall hopeful injury is 'not as bad as it looked'


Following Bayern Munich's impressive display in Wednesday night's 7-0 win over Shakhtar, Pep Guardiola praised his 'fantastic' players as they eased into the Champions League quarter-finals. The Ukrainian side had Olexandr Kucher sent off after just three minutes - the quickest in the tournament's history - but the Spaniard's side remained professional throughout and the statistics make for impressive reading. After a tight 0-0 in the first leg, Guardiola was pleased with Bayern's performance and their ability to see the tie through. Pep Guardiola was delighted with his 'dominant' players after their emphatic victory over Shakhtar . Olexandr Kucher (right) brings down Mario Gotze and was sent off with Bayern scoring from the penalty . Thomas Muller (right) scored an impressive double for the German champions to carry on his terrific form . 'We are very pleased,' he admitted. 'We deserved the win. The players did fantastically. 'Of course it is a little easier against 10 men. But from the beginning we could see that the team was alert. Congratulations to the team, we dominated the game.' The scoreline was far from flattering for the German champions and it could have been more with the 25 shots they mustered up over 90 minutes. Bayern had 25 shots with 13 on target compared to Shakthar's three throughout the Champions League clash . Thomas Muller got a double, including a penalty following the red card. Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze also found the net - showing that Guardiola's side can score goals from all over the pitch. Incredibly, Arjen Robben was the outfield only player who started to not score or get an assist during the demolition of the Ukrainian side - and he was taken off injured after 19 minutes. This was the second time the Germans struck seven past the opposition in the Champions League following their stunning 7-1 win over Roma back in October. Arjen Robben was taken off after 19 minutes and was the only player to not score or provide an assist . Defender Holger Badstuber (28) scored a rare goal as he powered home a header to score the fifth .

Summary: Bayern Munich recorded an emphatic 7-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk . Pep Guardiola was delighted with his side's 'dominant' win over Shakhtar . Bayern hit seven goals in Champions League for second time this season . They had six different goalscorers and posted impressive statistics . READ: Guardiola insists Robben and Ribery injuries are 'not too serious'


Jennifer K. 'Kaya' Thompson, 44, has now joined 35 other women who have made claims of sexual assault against Bill Cosby . A Bill Cosby accuser, 'Jane Doe No.2', has decided to reveal her identity after finding the strength to finally go public about the alleged attack 30 years ago. Jennifer K. 'Kaya' Thompson has now joined 35 other women who have made claims of sexual assault against the The Cosby Show star. Ms Thompson, a 44-year-old from Florida, told People: 'It's come to my understanding that there's greater credibility for my testimony with a full name and an image. 'I am so very grateful for the Jane Doe who came before me in the lawsuit 10 years ago... My mother and I were very eager to give our support via testimony at that time – however, not to the general public. I was not quite strong enough then.' In 1988, the then 17-year-old aspiring model met Cosby via her modelling agency in New York. He assured the teen and her parents that he would help her become a star. Ms Thompson told People that Cosby made uncomfortable advances against her which ended in her feeling pressured to perform a sexual act on him. 'I'm like a robot, and that is what I became, and that is what I did for him,' she said. She was reportedly given $700 as she left his home. She told People that she had decided to come forward now because she 'would rather go to bed at night knowing that I've been honest'. She also felt that remaining as 'Jane Doe No.2' made her allegations less credible. Ultimately, Ms Thompson hoped that Cosby will come clean about the mounting allegations against him. Daily Mail Online was awaiting a comment from Cosby's attorney, Marty Singer, on Thursday. When Ms Thompson's story was originally revealed in November 2014, Singer called it 'absurd' to publish an 'unsubstantiated story from this anonymous person'. Scroll down for video . 'Jane Doe No.2' has revealed her identity and claimed that Bill Cosby (pictured in January) sexually assaulted her when she was a teenage model in New York . Thompson was one of the 13 Jane Does in a 2005 civil suit against Cosby from Andrea Constand. Miss Constand eventually settled out of court. Last Friday, Cosby's lawyers asked a federal judge to toss out a defamation lawsuit filed by three women - Tamara Green, Therese Serignese and Linda Traitz - accusing the beleaguered comedian of decades-old sexual offenses. The accusers, all of whom have stepped forward in recent years, said Cosby's representatives publicly branded them as liars while trying to defend his innocence. But Cosby's lawyers said the actor was merely acting in self-defense as his character was under attack. 'The law does not require that one stand idly by while he is publicly attacked,' the lawyers argued in their 38-page filing. 'Instead the law entitles an individual who is accused of serious wrongdoing to rebut the allegations without facing defamation claims.' Joseph Cammarata, a lawyer for the three accusers, said his

Summary: Jennifer K. 'Kaya' Thompson has now joined 35 other women who have made claims of sexual assault against the The Cosby Show star . Ms Thompson, 44, from Florida, finally found the courage to come forward 'because she wanted to go to bed at night knowing she'd been honest' She claims she was pressured to perform a sexual act on Cosby at his New York home after meeting him as an aspiring teen model .


Christopher Taft, 21, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault . A pair of birthday pranks gone wrong have landed a Florida man in jail and his sister with a BB lodged in her buttocks. Christopher Taft, of Holly Hills, Florida, allegedly shot his sister in the backside with a BB gun after she gave him a phallic-shaped cake for his 21st birthday. Taft later told police that he thought it would be funny, according to WKMG-TV. His sister didn't think so. She called the cops. Officers arrived to the home on Sunday and arrested Taft on aggravated battery and battery. His sister told officers she didn't want to press charges, but Taft was hauled away to the Volusia County Jail anyway. According to WKMG, Taft's sister had the BB lodged under the skin in her backside. She refused medical attention and said she would go to the hospital herself to have the pellet removed. Even low-power airguns - like the famous Daisy Red Ryder - have muzzle velocity of 350 feet per second, which is enough to break the skin. Others, which can be used to kill small game, can shoot projectiles at velocities of more than 2,000 feet per second. It is not known what kind of BB gun was used. Even low-power air guns, like the famous Daisy Red Ryder, are powerful enough to fire BBs that can break the skin (stock image)

Summary: Christopher Taft, 21, was arrested on charges of assault and aggravated assault after his sister called the polcie .


A teenager has been told she will not be allowed to compete to become Miss England because she is a single mother. Dhakirah Salim decided to enter local auditions for the competition in Birmingham only to be told this would not be possible because in the small print it says mothers and married women cannot enter. The 19-year-old had gone to support her Latifah, 22, who was entering the contest but then decided she would also put herself forward. Dhakirah Salim, 19, was told she could not compete for a place in the Miss England competition in the local heats in Birmingham because the rules of the contest ban mothers and married women from taking part . However the mother-of-one was disappointed when her older sister got to the next round round and she did not. She was told this was because she has a daughter Sapphire, three, and there are rules banning mothers taking part. 'This rule sends out the message that there's no beauty in women after birth and that young mums can't be good role models,' said Miss Salim. 'I think that's discrimination towards women with babies.' The Miss England beauty pageant claims the rule is in place to protect young families because the busy schedule for contest winners is not compatible with having a settled home life. But critics say it is a choice for each individual candidate to make on whether they feel they have enough time to commit to the role and have blasted the regulations as 'old fashioned and discriminatory.' Dhakirah Salim (right) accompanied her older sister Latifah to the contest and decided to enter herself . Dhakirah is currently studying business administration with the intention of running her own entertainment business. She also works part time. 'I'm attending college, I do extra-curricular courses and I do a part-time job that I travel around Birmingham and the UK for,' she added. 'I don't think it's fair that because I have a baby I shouldn't be able to enter the Miss Birmingham contest. 'I do get a lot of negativity about young mothers, and especially the perception of single mothers, but I hope to prove everyone wrong. 'If Sapphire wasn't here right now, I think I would be a different person. 'She makes me feel more positive and gives me the confidence to go out and do things. 'It's a new day and age, but the organisers of the competition don't seem to recognise that. 'They're trying to say women with children can only be housewives. Women should be able to go out there, seize opportunities and create a better life. 'That's the example I want to set my daughter. 'Latifah and I are still very close and if she wins I will be happy for her. We do argue but just about silly things. This hasn't caused any arguments.' Her older sister Latifah works at Tesco and juggles life as a full-time university student and part-time carer for her mother. She failed her first year while she was getting trained to use dialysis machines. The

Summary: Dhakirah Salim, 19, decided to enter a Miss England contest with her sister . Went to local auditions in Birmingham and was told she could compete . But she was barred from competition because she has a daughter . Competition small print says mothers and married women cannot enter . Miss Salim said rules imply young mothers cannot be good role models . Organisers defended rules and said they exist to protect the 'family unit'


Kyle Lafferty hailed Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill as the best manager he has played for after yet another match-winning performance at Windsor Park. In recent months Lafferty has been transformed from an infuriatingly erratic performer to the spearhead of his country's unlikely push for a place at Euro 2016. He netted both his side's goals in Sunday's 2-1 win over Finland, a sweetly-hit volley and a deft header, taking Northern Ireland to 12 points from a possible 15 and his scoring tally to five in as many qualifiers. Kyle Lafferty hailed Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill as the best manager he has played for . Lafferty netted both Northern Ireland's goals in Sunday's 2-1 win over Finland in Belfast . It is all a far cry from O'Neill's first campaign, where Lafferty contributed more red cards (one) than goals (zero). And the 27-year-old, currently on loan at Rizespor from Norwich, knows who to thank. 'The last campaign I let everyone down, but Michael had a word with me and it really hit home. I'm probably glad he did that,' said the man who now occupies second place on Northern Ireland's scoring charts with 14. 'Michael is the best manager I've played under and he gets the best from me and pulls me to one side before every game. What he says inspires me and gets me up for the games. I'm buzzing playing for him.' Lafferty has been named man-of-the-match in all four Northern Irish wins, away in Hungary and Greece and at home against the Faroe Islands and Finland. But while he grows increasingly comfortable with being the side's headline grabber, he is equally keen to share the plaudits. Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill (left) and Corey Evans applaud the home support after the win . O'Neill has seen Northern Ireland take 12 points from a possible 15 during qualifying in Group F . 'I don't like calling myself a hero, I think all the boys were heroes out there,' he said. 'There could have been five or six players who deserved to be man of the match in the game. 'I thought Jamie Ward, for example, was superb. I scored two goals which is brilliant for me personally, but if I don't score another goal in the campaign and we qualify I'll be happy enough.' A place in France next summer would be a remarkable achievement for a side who have never reached a European Championship before, last made the World Cup finals in 1986 and placed fifth in their 2014 group. But belief is starting to turn to expectation before the players' eyes. 'We can't get ahead of ourselves but if we keep playing like we are now, it would be a disappointment if we didn't get there,' he said. We still have five games to go and everyone is beating everyone. 'The next game in June is going to be massive for us against Romania because it's a top of the table clash.' Lafferty of Northern Ireland scores with a header to make the score 2-0 during

Summary: Northern Irleland beat Finland 2-1 to take 12 points from possible 15 . Kyle Lafferty scored both goals in the Euro 2016 qualifying match . Lafferty has been the key man in his country's push for qualification .


Following this week's results in the Premier League it is looking increasingly likely that all three teams promoted last summer will be heading straight back down to the Championship. Leicester, Burnley and QPR find occupy the bottom three places in the top flight with just 10 games to play and although there are other teams in sight, form is a big concern for all three. If the trio are all relegated it will be the first time that no promoted team has survived in 17 years, and only the second season none have stayed up in since the Premier League's inception in 1992. Burnley's Danny Ings reacts as his side slip to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Wednesday night . Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer can't prevent James Milner scoring Manchester City's second goal . Olivier Giroud celebrates Arsenal's opener as the inquest begins in the QPR backline . Barnsley went straight back down in 1998 but they did famously beat Liverpool at Anfield (above) In 1997-98 it was Barnsley, Bolton and Crystal Palace who could not cope with the step up but - despite the adage that the gulf between the top flight and the Football League is huge - promoted sides have fared well in recent seasons. Twice - in 2011-12 and 2001-02 - all three promoted teams have avoided the drop, while only five of the last 18 promoted sides have been relegated. In fact, promoted teams have a 58.2 per cent instant survival rate, with only 27 of the 68 teams to have been promoted to the top flight being sent straight back down. That recent record will significantly worsen though come May unless Leicester, Burnley and QPR can all find form fast. *four teams relegated . **two teams promoted .

Summary: Burnley, Leicester and QPR all in relegation zone after promotion last year . Only once since 1992 have all three promoted teams been relegated . 58.2 per cent of promoted teams survive in their first season . CLICK HERE for all the latest Premier League news .


This is the dramatic moment rescuers freed an 18-month-old baby girl who was left dangling upside down next to her dead mother for a staggering 14 hours after their car plunged into a frigid river. The newly-released footage, filmed on an officer's body camera, shows emergency crews battling to rescue Lily Groesbeck from her mother Lynn's Dodge sedan at a river in Spanish Fork, Utah. First responders are captured running toward the overturned vehicle, before straining to turn it on its side. One can be heard yelling, 'Let's go guys, come on!' as they struggle to lift the heavy sedan. Seconds later, the officers successfully lift the partially-submerged car out of the water and discover Lily hanging upside down in her car seat. The infant was unconscious, but miraculously alive. The brave officers said that as they approached the car they could clearly hear a woman's voice coming from the car shouting for help, but in the bodycam video, parts of the audio are silent. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Shocking scene: A dramatic new video, filmed on an officer's body camera, shows emergency crews battling to rescue 18-month-old Lily Groesbeck from her mother Lynn's Dodge sedan at a river in Spanish Fork, Utah . Partially submerged: First responders are captured dashing over to the overturned red vehicle (pictured) Struggle: The officers strain as they try to turn the heavy sedan on its side (above). One can be heard yelling, 'Let's go guys, come on!' However, seconds later, the officers successfully lift the vehicle out of the icy water . Life-saving rescue: The first responders were shocked to discover Lily hanging upside down in her car seat. They quickly freed the infant from the seat, before passing her cold body from one person to another (above) Tragic: Following the rescue, Lily (pictured, right, this week), was rushed in a critical condition to hospital. She has since been released. Tragically, her mother, Lynn Groesbeck (left, with Lily), aged 25, died at the scene . During the rescue the men are filmed quickly freeing Lily from the car seat, before passing her cold body from one person to another. Once on the shore, the baby was lifted into an ambulance and given CPR. The video, which was released by Spanish Fork Police Department and obtained by NBC, shows several concerned bystanders watching the scene from the top of the river bank last Saturday. Following the rescue, Lily, whose face was apparently just inches away from the icy water, was rushed in a critical condition to Mountain View Hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia. She was later flown to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, from which she was released on Wednesday. Three police officers and four firefighters were also treated for hypothermia. Tragically, Ms Groesbeck, who is not depicted in the video, was pronounced dead at the scene. The 25-year-old mother and her daughter were driving home to Springville, a suburb of Provo, at around 10.30pm on the fateful day when their red-colored sedan crashed into the frigid river below. Unconscious: The

Summary: Newly-released footage was filmed on an officer's body camera at scene . Shows first responders running toward Lynn Groesbeck's Dodge sedan . Officers seen straining to turn partially submerged car in cold Utah river . Seconds later, they lift it out of water and find tiny Lily Groesbeck inside . Video captures officers passing infant to each other, then to ambulance . Lily, who was trapped in sedan for 14 hours, now released from hospital . Tragically, her mother, 25, was declared dead at scene in Spanish Fork . Emergency responders have since said they heard her calling for help .


Previous stunts have seen him dangling from a zip-wire and dancing to the Spice Girls at the 2012 Olympics. Now Boris Johnson has donned a hairnet and yellow gumboots to pose as a fishmonger presiding over a spread of fresh fish and seafood, including a vast yellowfin tuna. The Mayor of London tried his hand at tuna loining, salmon filleting and ‘pin-boning’ - the art of removing fish bones using tweezers - as he launched National Apprentice Week yesterday. Scroll down for video . Boris Johnson donned a hairnet and yellow gumboots to pose as a fishmonger over a spread of fresh fish and seafood . The Mayor of London appeared to be having an enjoyable time as he poked a fish at the seafood factory in Chessington . Mr Johnson met apprentices working at the New England Seafood factory, where he confirmed plans for a £1.8million scheme that will create more than 3,500 new apprenticeships across the capital. He said: ‘Our new programme will reach out to those companies yet to dip their toe into the rich pool of talent contained in our capital.’ The London-based New England Seafood has taken on 12 apprentices since 2012, five of whom have gone on to take up full time positions. The company supplies fresh and frozen fish and seafood to leading supermarkets including Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. Around 190,000 16-24 year-olds have become a London apprentice since 2010. Previous stunts have seen Mr Johnson dangling from a zip-wire and dancing to the Spice Girls at the 2012 Olympics .

Summary: Boris Johnson donned a hairnet to pose as fishmonger at seafood factory . Mayor of London tried his hand at tuna loining and salmon filleting . Mr Johnson was meeting apprentices at the factory in Chessington, Surrey .


It is the battle for your face. Facebook and Google have been involved in an algorithm war to come up with the perfect facial detection system. Now Google has claimed the latest victory, saying its new FaceNet system is practically perfect - getting the right person 99.96% of the time. Google's new FaceNet system is practically perfect - getting the right person 99.96% of the time - here, it shows the variety of lighting condition it can overcome . Google researchers call their system the most-accurate technology available for recognizing human faces. In the paper, titled 'FaceNet: A Unified Embedding for Face Recognition and Clustering', Google claims the system achieved nearly 100-percent accuracy rate on the facial recognition dataset Labeled Faces in the Wild. The dataset uses more than 13,000 face images from the Internet to measure how accurate the algorithms are at verifying whether two images are of the same individual . 'Our method uses a deep convolutional network trained to directly optimize the embedding itself, rather than an intermediate bottleneck layer as in previous deep learning approaches,' the researchers say. 'To train, we use triplets of roughly aligned matching / non-matching face patches generated using a novel online triplet mining method. 'The benefit of our approach is much greater representational efficiency: we achieve state-of-the-art face recognition performance using only 128-bytes per face. 'On the widely used Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) dataset, our system achieves a new record accuracy of 99.63%. 'On YouTube Faces DB it achieves 95.12%. Our system cuts the error rate in comparison to the best published result by 30% on both datasets. FaceNet was trained on an enormous 260-million-image dataset and performed at an 86 percent and higher accuracy rate. Last year, a team of Chinese researchers claimed to have achieved better than 99 percent accuracy. In the June 2014 paper, Facebook researchers said that humans analyzing images in the Labeled Faces dataset are only able to achieve 97.5 percent accuracy. However, Google researchers went beyond simply verifying whether two faces are identical by also attaching a name to a face. Google's system first clusters photos into a collection of similar faces . Taking a classic facial recognition approach, the researchers went as far as organizing the images into groups of faces that look the most similar or the most distinct. When Google's FaceNet and Facebook's 'DeepFace' are eventually integrated into their company's web platforms, it is believed they will automate the process of tagging photos and searching for people and will also make it easier for web companies to analyze their users' social networks and to assess global trends. FaceNet was trained on an enormous 260-million-image dataset and performed at an 86 percent and higher accuracy rate. These were the only images it did NOT get right. Facebook's technology - called DeepFace - was first showcased last March, but the site has now started rolling out the automatic tagging tool to select users. DeepFace uses technology designed by an Israeli startup called face.com. Facebook bought the startup in 2013 and developed the facial recognition

Summary: Facebook's rival DeepFace uses technology from Israeli firm face.com . DeepFace finds a matching face with 97.25% accuracy . Google researchers call their system the most-accurate technology . System could be used to automatically recognise photos on Google+ .


Jailed: Nicole Richess, 20, of Bournemouth, Dorset, had sex with the two servicemen after a night out . A young woman was today jailed for more than two years after falsely accusing two soldiers of trying to rape her because she was ashamed about a drunken cocaine-fuelled threesome. Nicole Richess, 20, of Bournemouth, Dorset, had sex with the two servicemen at a friend’s house and then her own home after a night out. The following day her boyfriend heard rumours that she had been unfaithful and confronted her. Richess ‘panicked’ and made up the false claim that the two innocent men, aged 23 and 24, had forced themselves on her - because she was too ashamed to tell her boyfriend of three years, Alex Ganter, she had cheated on him. Mr Ganter made her go to the police to report the ‘attack’, and Richess even gave a ‘tearful’ account of the apparent crime to officers and ‘illicitly gained their empathy’. Her ‘deceitful web of lies’ saw the two soldiers arrested, leaving them ‘distraught and petrified’. However, officers began to realise Richess was lying when they gathered the accounts of the soldiers and her friends - and she was charged with perverting the course of justice. Richess was today jailed for two and a half years by a judge who said that her lies had an ‘insidious and corrosive’ effect on public confidence and the justice system. Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said: ‘You made a determined and prolonged attempt to weave a picture of deceit to further your ends and you were prepared to make wholly false allegations of attempted rape against these innocent young men. Victims: Richess made up the false claim that the two innocent men (above, left and right) had forced themselves on her - because she was too ashamed to tell her boyfriend she had cheated on him . ‘You told a web of lies and even cried to evoke sympathy. The impact on these victims cannot be understated and false allegations of rape and attempted rape can have dreadful consequences. ‘Every occasion of a proved false allegation has an insidious effect on public confidence, sometimes allowing doubts to creep into when one shouldn’t exist. Your offence has a corrosive effect on criminal justice.’ Fern Russell, prosecuting, told Bournemouth Crown Court how Richess and her friend Laura Hillwood met a group of four soldiers at Taboo nightclub in the town on November 9, 2012. The women went back to Ms Hillwood’s home in Bournemouth with the men where two of them had sex with Richess in a bedroom. Ms Hillwood walked in on them to find Richess wearing just a bra and the two soldiers in a ‘state of undress’. Ms Hillwood ordered the trio to leave and they went to Richess’s home in Bournemouth where they continued to have sex. The following morning Richess drove the soldiers to their barracks at Blandford Army Camp in Dorset. Ms Russell said: ‘Ms Hillwood then told her mutual friends she had walked in on a threesome. That was fed to Nicole’s

Summary: Nicole Richess had sex with two men at friend’s house and then her own . Boyfriend confronted her over rumours she had been unfaithful next day . She 'panicked' and made up claim that men forced themselves on her . Gave 'tearful' account of 'crime' to officers and 'illicitly gained empathy'


The shooting of two police officers during protests in Ferguson was 'a professional job' by a sniper-style gunman, witnesses have claimed. Both officers were struck outside the police headquarters by shots believed to come from across the street from up to 120 yards away, possibly from a rooftop building. One was shot in the right shoulder, with the bullet exiting through his back. The other in the right cheek, just below the eye. The bullet lodged behind his ear. Speculation is now growing that it must have been the work of a highly skilled shooter possibly using a rifle. Scroll down for video . Tensions: Protesters gather outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson a day after two officers were shot during demonstrations . Both officers were struck outside the police headquarters by shots believed to come from across the street from up to 120 yards away . A police officer removes a demonstrator from the middle of the street during a protest in front of the police station in Ferguson . Sit-in protest: A police officer prepares to remove a demonstrator from the middle of the street during a demonstration outside the station . A witness told Fox News: 'This was a professional job, a sniper type of deal because you could hear the silencer on the gun. 'Living in North St Louis, you know what a shotgun sounds like, unfortunately.But you could tell that was a very professional job.' The witness, who did not give his name, claimed that the shots came from the rooftop of a building across the street from the police headquarters. Gabe Crocker, head of the St Louis Police Association, said the circumstances of the shooting suggest that the gunman may be someone with weapons experience. Protesters called for calm but vowed to keep pushing for change in Ferguson a day after the shootings. Dozens gathered for a candlelight vigil last night, where they expressed sympathy for the wounded officers. They also prayed for peace as Ferguson moves forward in the wake of a scathing Justice Department report on racial bias in its law-enforcement practices. Protesters lie in the street in front of the Ferguson Police Department. Officers from the St Louis County Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol were summoned to bolster security but largely stood idle in the distance . Making his views known: A protester talks with a police officer in front of the Ferguson Police Department tensions remained high in the city . On alert: St Louis County police officers stand in riot gear as protesters demonstrate outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson . A larger crowd of about 200 protesters gathered later outside the police department, but the scene was a marked contrast to the previous night, when fights broke out before the shootings. Some called for specific changes: the resignation of Ferguson's mayor or the disbanding of the police department. Others were there to remember 18-year-old Michael Brown, whose shooting death by a Ferguson police officer in August made the city a national focal point. 'We'll not be

Summary: Witnesses claim shooting during protests outside police station was 'a professional job' by a sniper-style gunman . Both officers were struck by shots believed to come from up to 120 yards away, possibly from a rooftop building . Head of the St Louis Police Association said it suggested the gunman may be someone with weapons experience . Dozens gathered for a candlelight vigil to call for calm and express sympathy for the wounded police officers .


The bitter battle between Lady Gaga and the 'Svengali' ex-boyfriend who started her out on the path to superstardom has spilled out in a fight over her testimony which helped a friend win a whopping $7.3 million judgment. Rob Fusari says he now wants another trial in a case in which he was trying to prevent talent scout Wendy Starland from taking the multi-million dollar cut of the profits he made from Gaga . He claims Gaga's 'highly inflammatory' words made jury members hate him so much they didn't take the rest of the evidence into account. Fusari, 47, maintains the judge in a New Jersey federal court should never have admitted 28-year-old Gaga's deposition - especially the parts where her words made him look so bad that, he claims, the jury ignored the facts of the case. 'Svengali': Ex-boyfriend Rob Fusari started Lady Gaga on the path to superstardom - and even came up with her name. The animosity has spilled out in a fight over her court testimony which helped Wendy Starland win a whopping $7.3 million judgment . Conflict of interest: Gaga and Fusari reportedly became lovers in 2006 when Gaga was 20 and Fusari was 38. Their personal relationship ended within seven months and their business relationship soon followed suit . Blame game: Fusari says he now wants another trial in a case in which he was trying to prevent talent scout Wendy Starland from taking the multi-million dollar cut of the profits he made from Gaga . 'This court erred and the error was exceptionally prejudicial,' Fusari - also known as 8Bit - said in court documents filed this month. 'A new trial on all issues is the only remedy.' Papers released by the court black out most of Gaga's testimony — given under her real name Stefani Germanotta — so it is unclear exactly what she said. But court papers acknowledge: 'They had a personal relationship and it went sour.’ Gaga and Fusari reportedly became lovers in 2006 when Gaga was 20 and Fusari, at 38, was nearly twice her age. Around that time, Gaga claimed to Howard Stern in a radio interview last year, she was raped by a much older man, although she has never identified her alleged attacker. Lady Gaga explained to Stern that she wrote the song Swine about sexual violence. 'The song is about rape, the song is about demoralization, the song is about rage and fury and passion - and I had a lot of pain that I wanted to release,' she said. The singer told Stern that she had not previously revealed the assault because she did not want 'to be defined by it.' Her personal relationship with Fusari ended within seven months and their business relationship soon followed suit. 'We had our time, and like anything in life, nothing good lasts forever,' Fusari said in a 2012 interview. By 2010 when Gaga's career was really taking off, Fusari was asked by Billboard if the two were still friends. 'I don't know,' he replied. 'I feel like I may

Summary: Ex-boyfriend Rob Fusari started Stefani Germanotta, aka Gaga, on the path to superstardom . The animosity has spilled out in a fight over her court testimony which helped a friend win a whopping $7.3 million judgment against him . Now he's bracing for a new fight: 'They had a personal relationship and it went sour,' says the court . Papers which have been released black out most of Gaga's incendiary testimony . Fusari settled his own breach of contract lawsuit against Gaga in 2010. The terms of that settlement have not been disclosed .


A Maryland mother and father under investigation for letting their two young children walk a mile home from the park alone have been found responsible for 'unsubstantiated' child neglect. Danielle and Alexander Meitiv, who believe in a so-called 'free-range' approach to parenting, were thrust into the national spotlight just before Christmas when police found Rafi, 10 and Dvora, six, wandering the sidewalk on their own. The decision by Child Protective Services means that the CPS will keep a file on the Meitiv's open for at least five years but Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have said they will continue to bring up their own children as they see fit - whatever the consequences. Scroll down for video . Hands-off: Alexander and Danielle Meitiv with their two children, Rafi (left) and Dvora (six). The Maryland Child Protective Services have deemed them responsible for 'unsubstantiated' child neglect for allowing their kids to walk home alone from the park before Christmas . Unsubstantiated child neglect is not a criminal charge, but is in most cases a prelude to them. Free-range parenting is the name given to a style of raising kids in opposition to so-called 'helicopter parenting'. 'Helicopter parents' are named for their habit of hovering over their offspring, micro-managing their lives in an attempt to keep them safe. However critics believe this creates under-confident, over-reliant children, while also causing the parents stress. Free-range parents advocate a more hands-off approach, where children are allowed to go out and experience the world on their own. Instead of constantly monitoring activities to make sure children are safe, the emphasis is put on adults assessing risk ahead of time, and equipping children with the skills to deal with danger themselves. It usually comes when the CPS has deemed parents to have neglected their children, but has insufficient information or witnesses to press charges or take action. This seemingly arbitrary ability to place a family under investigation and rule against them has left the Meitiv's, who both work as scientists, furious. Incensed by the ruling of the CPS, the Meitiv's have said they will continue to allow their two young children to walk unsupervised and reject any suggestions they are bad parents - claiming that giving their children independence is their right as parents. 'We don’t feel it was appropriate for an investigation to start, much less conclude that we are responsible for some form of child neglect,' said Danielle Meitiv, who confirmed to the Washington Post that she and her husband are to appeal the decision. 'What will happen next time?' she said. 'We don’t know if we will get caught in this Kafkaesque loop again.' Indeed, the Meitiv's confirmed that they will ignore the CPS and carry on allowing their children independence that most parents would be terrified to grant their own kids. Back on December 20, police in Silver Spring picked up Rafi and Dvora walking home on a Saturday afternoon from the park after a member of the public reported it. Guarantees: As part of their free-range parenting philosophy, the Meitiv's make sure their children carry

Summary: Danielle and Alexander Meitiv notified of Child Protective Services decision late last month . CPS said the two were responsible for 'unsubstantiated' child neglect . They will be on file at the government agency for at least five years . On December 20 police were called after Danielle Meitiv's children were spotted alone, walking about a mile home from the park . Parents believe in the concept of 'free-range' parenting which encourages independence . Alexander Meitiv is a Research Fellow at National Institutes of Health and Danielle is an Oceanographer .


Updated: But the new edition of Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage fiercely opposes some of the foibles of the English language today . Don't say 'like', avoid the word 'awesome' and never drop your aitches - the latest edition of the ultimate guide to the English language has been revised for the 21st century. The new edition of Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage has just been released, and has been revised to take on the language battles of the current generation. Compiler Jeremy Butterfield has inserted some strident views into the dictionary - saying that people who use the word 'like' deserve to face physical violence. He also risks charges of snobbery, by writing that anyone who says 'haitch' instead of 'aitch' appears 'unspeakably uncouth' to older generations. But the new Fowler's does make some concessions to the modern world - traditionalists may be angry to discover that the book accepts the use of the world 'literally' to mean 'metaphorically'. Fowler's dictionary was first published in 1926, written by lexicologist H.W. Fowler, and it rose to fame as the definitive guide to what is and isn't acceptable in the English language. However, in the intervening decades the book has fallen out of fashion, as modern trends have reacted against notions of 'correct' and 'incorrect' language use. Mr Butterfield's new edition, published by Oxford University Press last week, attempts to re-establish the reputation of Fowler's guide. Among the words which he says should be banned are 'challenging', 'awesome' and 'issue', because they have all become clichés, according to The Times. He also outlaws the use of the word 'achingly' when attached to 'trendy' or 'hip', saying it should be reserved for situations where someone is actually in pain. Similarly, he insists that the word 'nubile' should mean 'marriageable', not 'sexually attractive' as it is often used nowadays. But he reserves his most furious broadsides for the word 'like', used by younger generations to pepper their sentences regardless of whether it serves any linguistic purpose. Author: The first edition of the work was published by lexicographer H.W. Fowler, pictured left, and the latest edition has been revised by Jeremy Butterfield, right . Mr Butterfield - who admits to sometimes being a 'grumpy old man' - writes: 'Overuse will cause listeners outside the speaker's immediate social circle, wider social group or age cohort to ignore the content of the message, to assume that the speaker is little short of brain-dead, or, in extreme cases, to wish they had a discreet firearm to hand.' In an even more contentious passage, the author suggests that people who drop their aitches or pronounce the letter as 'haitch' are marking themselves out as socially inferior to others. He points out that Lord Carey did not pronounce aitches when he was young, but changed his speech as he grew older, eventually reaching the top of the Establishment as Archbishop of Canterbury. 'There would be no doubt that George Carey would not have risen to that position if he had continued to do so,' Mr Butterfield writes. The dictionary

Summary: Jeremy Butterfield has written the new edition of Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage . He rails against the overuse of words like 'challenging' and 'awesome' Says that anyone who says 'like' deserves a violent reaction . Author also suggests that dropping aitches is a sign of social inferiority .


Australia has scored some real estate on the 80th anniversary World Edition of Monopoly - but it's not exactly in a prime position. Along with 21 other cities, Sydney has been given a spot on the map which replaces London's swankiest postcodes with the world's chicest hotspots. However Sydney has been placed right beside the jail in the less desirable magenta part of the board, next to Amsterdam and New York. Australia has been included in the 80th anniversary version of Monopoly . Lima was given the pride of place on the board, replacing trendy Mayfair in the dark blue corner. The shortlist of cities who made the winning board were revealed on March 19, the Monopoly brand's official birthday. For the first time, fans were given the power to decide which 20 cities around the world featured property spaces for the game, which will be available to buy in September. Along with 21 other cities, Sydney has been given a spot on the 80th anniversary World Edition of Monopoly, which replaces London's swankiest postcodes with the world's chicest hotspots . Lima . Hong Kong . Riga . Lisbon . Istanbul . Warsaw . Mexico City . Santiago . Belfast . Athens . WILDCARDS: Giethoorn and Madrid . Belgrade . London . Moscow . Tokyo . New York . Amsterdam . Sydney . Queenstown . Cape Town . Taipei . Queenstown, Lima, Athens and London were just some of the remaining cities chosen by fans, along with Hong Kong, Moscow and Belgrade. 'As Australia's global city, it's great to see Sydney take its place on the world stage,' Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore told News Limited. 'I'm sure the Sydney spot in this global edition of Monopoly will be hot property.' Queenstown, Lima, Athens and London were just some of the remaining cities chosen by fans, along with Hong Kong, Moscow and Belgrade . 1. More than one billion people have played Monopoly worldwide. 2. More than 20 different tokens have made their way into the game, including an elephant, purse and a bag of money. 3. There are three ways to get out of jail in Monopoly: pay $50 on your next turn, roll a double or use a Get Out Of Jail Free card. 4. The longest game of Monopoly ever played lasted 70 straight days. 5. The game has been played by characters in Zombieland and Gossip Girl. 6. Monopoly was included on the iPhone in 2008. 7. Games of Monopoly have been played on a ceiling, underground and on a U.S. nuclear submarine. 8. The original Monopoly game sold for about $2. 9. In the 1970's a Braille edition of the Monopoly game was created for the visually impaired. 10. In 2014, the My Monopoly game allowed players to personalise their own game at home with their own photos. In 1935, Parker Brothers began selling the property trading game, which quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Now eighty years later, more than 1 billion people in 114 countries have played the game designed by Charles Darrow. In 1933, Charles

Summary: Sydney has been included in Monopoly's 80th anniversary world edition . Fans voted for the cities they wanted to be included in the game . The game has been played by 1 billion people in 114 countries . Sydney has been placed right beside the jail while Lima replaces Mayfair . The game will be available to buy from September .


Douglas Costa will spark a transfer scramble this summer with Shakhtar Donetsk ready to sell their prized-asset. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is a known admirer of the Brazil international having tried to land the midfielder in the previous transfer windows. Shakhtar chiefs are now open to selling Costa this summer and talks with third parties over his departure are underway. Brazil international Douglas Costa is set to depart Shakhtar Donetsk for £25million in the summer . Midfielder Costa (left) could spark a bidding war from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona . The 24-year-old Costa wants to remain playing for a Champions League side and is open to a move to England . And the Ukrainian side hope to spark a bidding war for the midfielder in attempt to maximise his transfer fee, with a starting price of £25million. Costa is open to joining a Barclays Premier League club, but wants to be playing Champions League football. However, a host of Europe's top sides will also be in the running to land Costa this summer, Real Madrid and Barcelona among them. Arsenal have had Costa watched extensively, while Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked with a move. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is known to be an admirer of the midfield player Costa . Costa has dual Brazilian and Portuguese nationality, removing any potential work permit problems . Chelsea are set to lead the charge for the 24-year-old having tracked the Brazil international for two years. Despite playing for Brazil, Costa has dual Portuguese nationality so should not face work permit issues.

Summary: Shakhtar Donetsk could sell Douglas Costa for at least £25million . Jose Mourinho is a known admirer of the Brazil international midfielder . Real Madrid, Barcelona and Arsenal are also interested in the 24-year-old . READ: Douglas Costa dreaming of summer move to Chelsea .


The Liverpool squad may be about to face arguably their most important test of the season against Manchester United, but that didn't stop Brendan Rodgers' side from enjoying some star gazing on Friday morning. The likes of Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho donned pairs of special sunglasses in a bid to catch a glimpse of Friday's solar eclipse outside Liverpool's Melwood training ground. The near-total eclipse over Britain was seen by millions across the country, but it looked as the Fabio Borini and Lucas Leiva couldn't quite make out the phenomenon. Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren checks out the solar eclipse before training on Friday . Mamadou Sakho also donned a pair of special shades in a bid to see the special occasion . Even Liverpool's kit man Lee Radcliffe (centre) took the opportunity to gaze at the sun . Lazar Markovic will be hoping to figure in Liverpool's crunch clash against Manchester United on Sunday . The Reds players seemed to be in high spirits ahead of Sunday's clash at Anfield and Rodgers looks set to be able to call upon a full compliment of players. Leiva's fitness will be assessed as the Brazil international continues to recover from a groin problem sustained six weeks ago but may not be ready to go straight into the squad. Striker Mario Balotelli has recovered from the bout of illness which saw him miss Monday's win at Swansea. Reds frontman Fabio Borini couldn't quite get the hang of his glasses, but saw the funny side . Lucas Leiva looks puzzled as he looks up into the morning sky during Friday's eclipse . The Liverpool players looked in a relaxed mood during their training session on Friday .

Summary: Liverpool players looked for the solar eclipse on Friday morning . Reds squad in relaxed mood ahead of Manchester United clash . Louis van Gaal's side travel to Anfield in hunt for top four spot .


An Indian man who made headlines around the world after he opened a plane’s emergency exit and jumped 15ft to the ground says he was trying to pull off a stunt like his Bollywood idol. The passenger, Akash Jain, told a Mumbai news agency that he was influenced by his adoration for Akshay Kumar, one of the most famous Indian actors of all time, and dismissed claims that he made the dangerous leap because he was impatient. The 30-year-old told Mid Day: ‘I wanted to perform a stunt like Akshay Kumar because I am his fan, and hence I jumped off the aircraft.’ Scroll down for video . Passenger Akash Jain said he jumped off the plane to perform a stunt like actor Akshay Kumar . Friday’s incident sparked a security scare at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and raised serious questions about how Mr Jain was able to elude police and airport security officers. Mr Jain opened the emergency exit moments after the Boeing 737, carrying 144 passengers and five crew, pulled up to a gate after arriving from Chandigarh. After leaping off the plane in front of stunned passengers on flight 9W469, he entered the arrivals terminal after asking a ground crew member for directions and left the airport without being apprehended. The passenger who leaped from the plane said he was imitating his idol, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar (left) Having missed his connecting flight, Mr Jain travelled by bus and taxi towards his destination in Goa, but returned to Mumbai after he spoke to his mother by telephone and learned that his father was not feeling well, Mid Day reported. Mr Jain, who works as a medical representative, planned to travel home to Jalandhar, but was arrested by police in Mumbai on Saturday night after a CCTV image from the airport was circulated by local media and someone reported his whereabouts, the news website reported. The amateur stuntman is being held in custody for a week, but he may spend more time in custody if he is not granted bail. Akash Jain entered the arrivals terminal after he asked a ground crew member for directions to an exit . An airport police officer told Mid Day: ‘He told us that he had seen Akshay Kumar performing stunts in the movies and wanted to perform one himself. ‘He added that the fact that passengers are repeatedly told to open the emergency doors only in case of an emergency made him want to open it more.’ The incident sparked a furious response from airport bosses, who accused Jet Airways of failing to immediately alert the proper authorities. An airport spokesperson said: ‘If the incident took place after the aircraft landed, why didn’t the airline security staff inform the security agencies immediately? ‘Why did they need 35 minutes to do so?’ A Jet Airways spokesperson denied the claim, telling MailOnline Travel that security agencies were notified immediately. The airline spokesperson added: ‘A guest travelling on Jet Airways flight 9W469 from Chandigarh to Mumbai opened the emergency door and disembarked, alighting onto the

Summary: Passenger Akash Jain told Indian media that he is a big fan of the actor . He dismissed claims that he jumped because he was impatient . The plane had just pulled up to its gate when Mr Jain opened the door . He asked a ground employee for directions and walked out of the airport .


Scotland centre Alex Dunbar could miss the Rugby World Cup – after collapsing with suspected ligament damage to his left knee in training on Thursday. Dunbar had been named in the XV to face England in Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham. But, running on his own just an hour before selection was announced this morning, he changed direction and his knee simply gave way. The damage is being scanned at a private hospital in Edinburgh, while a specialist will need to examine the images before making a final diagnosis. Alex Dunbar faces a race against time to be fit for the Rugby World Cup after injuring his knee at training . While Scotland coaching staff are hopeful that he may only have torn his cartilage, putting him out of action for around six weeks, there is a real fear that Dunbar has sustained damage to his ACL – which means up to six months on the sidelines. Matt Scott, who had been due to start on the bench, will take Dunbar's place in the starting line-up on Saturday. Scotland centre Dunbar was due to start against England in the Calcutta Cup on Saturday . David Denton, Jim Hamilton and Dougie Fife will all start for Scotland against England on Saturday after Vern Cotter made five changes to his starting XV. Stand-off Finn Russell also returns to the Dark Blues line-up for the penultimate RBS 6 Nations clash at Twickenham after suspension ruled him out of the 22-19 defeat to Italy at Murrayfield two weeks ago. The Scots are desperate to restore pride in the Calcutta Cup meeting following three straight defeats to France, Wales and the Azzurri. Edinburgh number eight Denton - the only player among the incoming five not to have featured in this year's competition - replaces Johnnie Beattie after shaking off the calf strain which has kept him out of action so far. Denton's Gunners team-mates Fife - a try-scorer against France in round one - and Matt Scott replace injured wing Sean Lamont and centre Alex Dunbar, who are both ruled out with knee complaints. Russell, meanwhile, starts in place of Peter Horne while experienced Saracens lock Hamilton takes the place of benched forward Tim Swinson. Cotter said: 'Jim comes in and will bring his physicality and understanding of English rugby to our forward pack. 'It's good to have Dave Denton back as he provides us with strong ball-carrying and strong defence. He's also a very good lineout forward and will give us a bit more physical density against a big forward pack. 'It's been tough on Finn to sit out and it's great to have him back. He's slotted straight back in to the structure we're looking for. 'Finally, Dougie came on and played well against France and has had a couple of games with his club. 'We're looking for him to bring his enthusiasm, energy and high work-rate, particularly in kick-chase and receipt.' Tighthead prop Euan Murray, meanwhile, will equal Allan Jacobsen's all-time appearance record for a Scotland prop when he collects his 65th cap.

Summary: Alex Dunbar was running on his own when his knee gave way on Thursday . The injury puts the Scotland centre in doubt for the 2015 Rugby World Cup . Scotland face England in the Six Nations for the Calcutta Cup on Saturday .


Taking a stance: Openly-gay Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized new laws that critics say will allow business owners to openly discriminate . Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken out against two new laws in Indiana and Arkansas which critics say will allow business owners to refuse service to homosexual customers based on 'religious liberty'. Cook condemned the laws, saying they were 'very dangerous', went against the founding principles of America, and would take the country back to the days of 'Whites Only' signs in shop doorways. He added that, as a Baptist, he supports religious freedom, but said: 'I was never taught, nor do I believe, that religion should be used as an excuse to discriminate.' Cook, 54, who came out as gay in October last year, made the comments in an op-ed for the Washington Post. He wrote: 'In total, there are nearly 100 bills designed to enshrine discrimination in state law. 'On behalf of Apple, I'm standing up to oppose this new wave of legislation. 'These bills under consideration truly will hurt jobs, growth and the economic vibrancy of parts of the country where a 21st-century economy was once welcomed with open arms.' He also addressed legislation in Texas that 'would strip the salaries and pensions of clerks who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.' He said such bills 'rationalize injustice' by 'pretending to defend' religious freedom, which actually eroding the freedoms of others. Cook drew upon his background growing up in the South in the 1960s and 1970s, during and immediately after the Civil Rights movement when blacks were still heavily discriminated against. He says America's 'days of discrimination' must remain 'deep in the past' and said freedom and equality is a value that is at the heart of his company. He added: 'Apple is open. Open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love.' Scroll down for video . Marching: Thousands gathered outside the Indiana Statehouse on Saturday to hold a rally against the new law, which forbids the government from 'substantially burdening' a person's religious beliefs . As well as opposing the Indiana law, in a tweet he called for Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to veto a similar bill, HB1228, which has passed through the senate and is waiting to be rubber-stamped by the Republican. HB1228 is also named the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and uses the same wording as the Indiana legislation. The Indiana bill forbids the state or local government from 'substantially burdening' a person's religious beliefs unless that burden is 'essential' to further a 'compelling' government interest, and is the 'least restrictive' means of achieving that aim. It allows people or organisations to use the legislation as a defense in court against claims of discrimination against them, and if the court rules in their favor, allows reparations, including compensation payouts. Indiana's religious freedom act says that the state and local government 'may not substantially burden a person's right to the exercise of religion' unless that burden is 'essential' to furthering a government interest.

Summary: Tim Cook, 54, condemned religious freedom law in Indiana and Arkansas . Apple CEO said bills 'rationalize injustice' by pretending to defend religion . They will take U.S. back to days of 'Whites Only' signs in stores, he said . Law forbids government from 'substantially burdening' religious beliefs .


Three and a half thousand miles away in New York, Princess Eugenie could be forgiven for thinking that her 25th birthday might pass unnoticed in the UK. But the Queen’s granddaughter wasn’t reckoning on her father, Prince Andrew, who was determined, literally, to trumpet it from the roof tops. In the middle of a Palace function, Andrew whipped out his iPad and used it to video call his daughter, who currently lives in Manhattan. Scroll down video . Delighted: Princess Eugenie, centre, with her mother Sarah Ferguson, left, and sister Beatrice in Manhattan . All together now: Andrew conducts the 400-strong crowd in a sing a cheery rendition of Happy Birthday . Conference call: The princesses on screen as Prince Andrew video calls his daughter to say Happy Birthday . If that wasn’t enough, the prince got his 400-strong audience in the State Apartments at St James’s Palace to sing a cheery rendition of Happy Birthday, accompanied by a trumpeter from the Scots Guards. The royal, who was hosting the Pitch@Palace event for entrepreneurs, introduced the stunned audience to the singalong at St James’s Palace, saying: ‘We are going to do something new this evening. ‘The lady in the middle is my youngest daughter and it’s her 25th birthday today.’ Laughing Eugenie, wearing a pair of novelty birthday candle glasses to mark the occasion, and accompanied by her sister, Princess Beatrice, and mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, smiled and waved. Andrew told her: ‘You will notice that we have somebody here to play (gesturing to the trumpeter).’ He then turned to the lance corporal and added: ‘If you will lead us in Happy Birthday please...’ There were cheers from the crowd as the song came to an end, while plenty of others waved and tried to capture the moment on their camera phones. Trumpeter: Prince Andrew told Eugenie: ‘You will notice that we have somebody here to play’ Tech wiz: The royal was hosting the Pitch@Palace event for entrepreneurs at St James’s Palace . Eugenie looked delighted and said she was ‘very proud, Pops’ of her father’s role in the awards, which celebrate innovation and technology in the creative industries. But the singalong did not impress his ex-wife, who joked - in the style of a Eurovision announcement - that the rendition scored ‘zero points’. Sarah added: ‘We think you all need to go for choir practice.’ Andrew, however, was content with the gesture. ‘Having been told this was a bad idea, it worked,’ he said. The Prince, who used a Pitch@Palace event last year to send the first royal selfie, joked: ‘’What was it somebody said about children and dogs?’ The social media-savy Royal is also the only senior working royal to have his own personal Twitter account. Eugenie has been in New York for the past year, working for an online auction house. Celebrations: Eugenie, who has been in New York for the past year, and her birthday cake on Instagram . Birthday girl: Eugenie, centre, wearing a pair of novelty birthday candle glasses to mark the occasion .

Summary: Princess Eugenie is three and a half thousand miles away in New York . Her father Prince Andrew video called mid-way through a Palace function . The prince even got everyone at St James’s Palace to sing Happy Birthday .


A disgruntled McDonald's customer has been charged with assault after she allegedly grabbed a young worker by the neck because she was unhappy with the fries she ordered. The 38-year-old woman was a passenger in a BMW when she went through the McDonald's drive-through at Stanmore in Sydney's inner west on Tuesday night. When she received her food from the 16-year-old girl at the drive-through hatch, the woman allegedly threw it back into the window and demanded a new order. A woman has been charged with assault after she allegedly grabbed a 16-year-old girl around the neck because she wasn't happy with the McDonald's fries she ordered . The young female employee asked the driver to pull into the waiting bay while a new order was prepared. But the woman then allegedly got out of the car and entered the store yelling at the teenager. Police say she grabbed the 16-year-old by the neck and scratched her face before the 21-year-old manager intervened to stop her. The manager grabbed the woman's hand and she allegedly scratched his arm before police were called and arrested her at the scene. The 38-year-old woman was a passenger in a BMW when she went through the McDonald's drive-through at Stanmore (pictured) in Sydney's inner west on Tuesday night . Police were called and the woman was arrested at the scene. The woman has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. She was granted conditional bail to appear before Newtown Local Court on April 2. When she received her food from the 16-year-old girl at the drive-through hatch, the woman allegedly threw it back into the window and demanded a new order . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Summary: Woman charged with assault after allegedly attacking McDonald's worker . The 38-year-old went through Stanmore drive-through in Sydney's inner west on Tuesday night . She allegedly threw fries back through window and demanded new order . Woman went into store yelling at teen before grabbing her around the neck .


Gareth Bale is being linked with a move away from Champions League winners Real Madrid as the former Tottenham forward continues to face criticism from the club's supporters. Manchester United and Chelsea have both been credited with having an interest in bringing the world's most expensive player back to the Premier League. Sportsmail asked Manchester United fan Dave Ford of 90min.com to give his thoughts about a possible switch to Old Trafford. Gareth Bale reacts with disappointment as Barcelona players celebrate after the Clasico on march 22 . Bale scored twice to help Wales beat Israel 3-0 in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Saturday . Given the opportunity, there's not a club in the world who wouldn't want to sign Gareth Bale and Manchester United are no different. The Welshman is the future of football. United are showing signs of life again. We've picked up our form under Louis van Gaal, sit in the Premier League's top four and beat Liverpool at Anfield prior to the international break. Big money was spent last summer and it will be this year too. It's all systems go in terms of firing us back to the top of English and European football. However, while the attack is starting to click into gear, something is still missing. Some kind of X-factor. Most of us have confidence that Angel Di Maria will come good, but we still want more. Bale is what we want. Having two former Real Madrid stars in tandem at Old Trafford is the stuff of dreams. Sure, we'd love to have Cristiano Ronaldo back too, but our former No 7 has just turned 30 and dare we say it - his best days may be behind him. A 25-year-old Bale is the man to pin the hopes on. Bale's celebration was cut short as he had a goal disallowed for offside against Barcelona . Bale argues with Barcelona forward Neymar Jnr as Real lost 2-1 to the La Liga leaders . It's not all plain sailing for the boy from Cardiff in Spain. He has been criticised in the Madrid press for not pulling his weight, he went missing in last weekend's Clasico and his car even got a boot up the backside from a supporter in the fallout. Real Madrid fans are historically fickle and Bale is their latest scapegoat. Rest assured that it'll be his head on the chopping block next time Real lose a game. He doesn't deserve to be treated like some children's toy - picked up when loved and thrown down to the ground when not. Bale should seek a club where his talents are appreciated. Manchester United are prepared to offer an escape route and the subsequent affection he needs. Unfortunately, Bale is still a big part of Florentino Perez's plans and the player himself feels like he still has so much to prove. United are not an option that Bale wants to take just now, but the offer will always remain on the table. Bale has been criticised by fans this season and even had his

Summary: Gareth Bale is being linked with a move back to the Premier League . Wales forward has been criticised by Real Madrid supporters this season . Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly interested in Bale . United fan Dave Ford would love to have Bale at Old Trafford .


A school teacher who allegedly showed teenaged pupils a documentary about Islamic State featuring decapitated soldiers has been suspended. Mansoor Mahmood was said to have accidentally shown a clip featuring images of soldiers' heads on spikes to fourth-year pupils at Gryffe High School in Houston, Renfrewshire. The popular teacher was reported to council bosses after a parent complained to the police. It is understood the woman's daughter was one of a group of pupils who were shown the 42-minute BBC documentary which portrayed dead Iraqi soldiers. Mansoor Mahmood was said to have accidentally shown a clip featuring images of soldiers' heads on spikes to fourth-year pupils at Gryffe High School in Houston, Renfrewshire . The students were reportedly left sickened by the footage, which also included images of soldiers' heads on spikes. But one mother, who did not wish to be named, has described Mr Mahmood as 'an absolute gem' and said he was singled out for being a Muslim. Her daughter is a fifth year pupil at Gryffe High School in Houston, Renfrewshire, and has said she is 'outraged' over the investigation into a 'really good teacher'. Pupils from the school have launched two petitions to support Mr Mahmood, who started working at the school in August last year. The mother said: 'He doesn't deserve this. He shared a news clip which, unbeknown to him, contained the footage and now he is facing disciplinary action. 'Some of the young people at Gryffe have set up petitions and Facebook pages to support Mr Mahmood. 'My daughter is absolutely outraged as she says he is actually a really good teacher. 'The footage has been shown on national TV, it has been on the Internet, on newspaper sites and to be honest, it is the horrific reality of the world. 'If it had been a history class and they had shown the depiction of William Wallace's head on the railings and his body decapitated, would it be any different? 'Yes, he made a mistake, but that footage is out there for the world to see and perhaps people should remember that.' She said: 'There is a huge undercurrent that it is Mr Mahmood's religion that has caused the real offence to the parents concerned. 'I support Mr Mahmood, we are short of great male teachers in the system and this could be an end to his career. 'You have to also ask yourself if this content was so graphic, why did the council's Internet protocols not block it? 'Just shows that it was on what was deemed to be a safe and appropriate site and that a young teacher is being blamed for trusting the system. The popular teacher was reported to Renfrewshire council bosses after a parent complained to the police. It is understood the woman's daughter was one of a group of pupils who were shown the 42-minute BBC documentary which portrayed dead Iraqi soldiers. 'The kids are supporting the teacher 100 per cent.' An online campaign named 'Keep Mr Mahmood in Gryffe' has been launched and has collected almost 100 signatures.

Summary: Mansoor Mahmood was said to have shown the BBC clip to 14-year-olds . The clip - featuring images of soldiers' heads on spikes - was shown to fourth-year pupils at Gryffe High School in Houston, Renfrewshire . Popular teacher was reported to council bosses after a parent complained . He has since been suspended pending an investigation, the council said .


The famous weathervane at the Home of Cricket has been damaged during high winds over the weekend. Father Time, who sits above the Mound Stand at Lord's, has been bent almost 90 degrees by strong wind in London. Weekend gales in St John's Wood have knocked the deathly steel figure parallel to the ground, but mercifully still in his elevated roof-top position with scythe and bail on stumps intact. The Father Time weathervane at Lord's has been bent almost 90 degrees by high winds . The famous weathervane has been at Lord's since 1926 after it was presented to the MCC . Father Time is one of the famous features at Lord's and staff are working to get it back to normal . Staff from Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord's, are working with specialists to restore it to its original position as soon as possible. Lord's is due to host its first game of the season on Sunday, April 12 when Middlesex entertain Nottinghamshire in the LV= County Championship. This is not the first time the weathervane has fallen foul of the elements, back in 1992 it was struck by lightning and the subsequent repairs were featured on children's TV show Blue Peter. Father Time was given to MCC in 1926 by the architect of the Lord's Grand Stand, Sir Herbert Baker. During World War II, it was wrenched from its original perch when it became entangled in the steel cable of a barrage balloon. Staff set about trying to repair and restore Father Time to it's original glory . Father Time tweeted to say he had been diagnosed with copper damage and will be undergoing treatment . It was reattached to the top of the Grand Stand where it sat until 1996 when it was relocated to the Mound Stand. The symbolism of the figure derives from Law 16(3) of the Laws of Cricket: 'After the call of Time, the bails shall be removed from both wickets.' But he has, as his name indicates, moved with the times - and tweets these days on behalf of Lord's Cricket Ground, including an update on his latest mishap. The two posts read: 'NEWS: I've was felled by high winds last night! Ouch! 'Apologies for my poor grammar in the previous tweet - but I'm not feeling my best after being damaged last night!' Father Time later tweeted: 'I've been diagnosed with copper damage and will be undergoing treatment ASAP.'

Summary: Father Time weathervane bent 90 degrees by high winds in London . The weathervane has been a feature at Lord's since 1926 . MCC staff working to get Father Time standing straight as quickly as possible .