Perched out of a helicopter with his camera in hand, New York-based photographer Jeffrey Milstein has captured spectacular views of giant cruise ships from above. Milstein's Cruise Ships series gives a bird's-eye view of the huge floating holiday vessels. The New York-based photographer uses high-resolution camera equipment to capture views from a helicopter with an open door. They include the Disney Dream, which features a nine-hole mini-golf course, 11 nightclubs and lounges and the first 'water roller coaster': a 765-foot long winding waterslide called the AquaDuck that goes through the ship's funnel. Scroll down for video . The Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas are photographed from above by Milstein in a helicopter . And this is how the majestic cruise ships look from the side as they force their way through the sea, the Majesty of the Seas on the left, and the Freedom of the Seas on the right . Milstein also shot the fourth largest cruise ship in the world in the form of the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. The $800 million vessel can accommodate 3,634 passengers and 1,300 crew on 15 passenger decks. Mr Milstein said: 'Giant cruise ships, over three football fields long, have become unique floating cities. Photographed symmetrically from directly above in very high resolution, the large gallery prints, up to 74 inches, show the viewer a detailed view not commonly seen. 'The ships can be seen with their passengers lounging on deck chairs, playing on water park slides, putting greens, running tracks, and basketball courts. They have a curious beauty and tell us something about how we as a culture form instant communities for shared recreation and relaxation. The Disney Dream cruise ship is radiant in the sea with a nice clash of lighting, while right, The Carnival Victory can cater for 2,754 people and is an awesome sight at night . Disney Dream looks somewhat different when viewed from land, showing its height and the navy and red livery, and right, The Carnival Victory is an imposing sight . The Caribbean Princess has a giant poolside movie theatre that will impress, while right, The Carnival Victory has fine dining throughout . The modern Caribbean Princess ship offers all the comforts of home and more, with space for 3,082 guests and all of the signature features . 'The ships which continue to be built larger and larger are fascinating to ponder as engineering marvels. Seen as a typology, they share a common symmetry derived from function, yet juxtapose design elements both decorative and functional that set them apart. 'This ongoing series which began in 2013, is related to the Aircraft series which I have been shooting for over 15 years. I take most of these photos using an 80 mpxl digital medium format camera with a gyro stabilizer, shooting from a helicopter with the door off.' The large highly detailed gallery prints will be on exhibit at Benrubi Gallery in Manhattan, from July 9 until August 22. The Carnival Sensation has three waterslides, and makes two trips

Summary: New York-based photographer Jeffrey Milstein has captured spectacular views of giant cruise ships from above . They include the Disney Dream, The Carnival Victory and The Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas . Milstein describes how cruise ships have become 'floating cities, over three football fields long'


A 17-year-old who was forced to have chemotherapy against her will is now in remission, according to sources close to her case. Cassandra Fortin, from Connecticut, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in September, but did not want to receive the recommended treatment. But in January a court decided that she must have the chemotherapy at Connecticut Children's Medical Center - she was not able to make the decision as she is not legally mature enough. Cassandra Fortin, a 17-year-old who was forced to have chemotherapy against her will is now in remission, according to sources close to her case (file photo) Cassandra Fortin, from Connecticut, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in September, but did not want to receive the recommended treatment (file photo) On Sunday the Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz said in a statement released: 'We are very pleased with Cassandra's progress toward a complete recovery. 'We understand how difficult this has been for Cassandra and her family, but we have had full confidence throughout that the medical professionals involved in her treatment would be successful in saving her life .' Doctors said the chemotherapy would give her an 85 per cent chance of survival, but without it there was a near-certainty of death within two years. Her mother Jackie Fortin said: 'She has always - even years ago - said that if she was diagnosed with cancer, she would not put poison into her body' Cassandra underwent chemotherapy at the Connecticut Children's Medical Centre (pictured) Hodgkins lymphoma (cells pictured) is a disease of the white blood cells . Hodgkin's Lymphoma is cancer of the white blood cells called B lymphocytes that circulate around the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body. The lymphatic system is part of your immune system. Clear fluid called lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels and contains infection-fighting white blood cells known as lymphocytes. Lymphoma causes the lymphocytes to multiply in an abnormal way and collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes or glands. These lymphocytes lose their infection-fighting properties, making you more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptom of HL is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin. It usually affects young adults aged between 15 and 35 and adults over the age of 50. Almost all young people with HL will be fully cured. For older people over the age of 50, the cure rate is around 75 per cent to 80 per cent. Treatment depends on the extent of the cancer and will usually involve a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and drugs including steroids. Several other states recognize the 'mature minor doctrine', but the court said she did not understand the severity of her condition. She will have to wait until she turns 18 in September before she can make her own medical decisions. Cassandra was diagnosed in September and after initial surgery failed, she was given two rounds of chemotherapy. She then asked for treatment to be stopped

Summary: Cassandra Fortin, from Connecticut, ordered to undergo chemotherapy . Court said she was not legally mature enough to make the decision . Despite 17-year-old saying it is 'my life and my body, not the state's' Underwent treatment at Connecticut Children's Medical Center .


'Busy': Richard Baker made a 'Max Speed 20mph' sign after police claimed they ‘did not have the resources’ to monitor motorists outside his home . Police told a pensioner that they were too busy to deal with speeders using his road – but turned up within 30 minutes after he put up a DIY warning sign. Officers in Newbury, Berkshire, claimed they ‘did not have the resources’ to monitor motorists outside pensioner Richard Baker’s terraced home. So he made a ‘Max Speed 20mph’ sign and stuck it on the roadside –only to find an officer on his doorstep demanding that he remove the notice half an hour later. Mr Baker, 71, said he and his partner Rosemary Cribb fear someone will be knocked down and killed by the ‘mad’ drivers. ‘No one will do anything about the speeding, but put up an illegal sign and all of a sudden you get the police banging on your door,’ he said. ‘All I want to do is stop people speeding before there’s a tragedy – somebody’s got to do something about it. 'West Berkshire Council says it’s not their fault, and Thames Valley Police told me they haven’t got the time or resources. ‘But they can very soon find the time to send someone round to knock on my front door. ‘I put up the sign and inside 30 minutes an officer was round here telling me to take it down. ‘I’m just so frustrated – has it got to take someone’s death for them to do anything about the speeding traffic?’ 'West Berkshire Council says it’s not their fault, and Thames Valley Police told me they haven’t got the time or resources,' Mr Baker said . Mr Baker’s road was made a 20mph zone in 2010 after repeated requests from worried residents and local councillors. But Mr Baker said signs warning motorists that it is a 20mph limit are not clearly displayed and pointed out that even some of his neighbours are not aware of the speed restrictions. He said: ‘This morning a woman complained to my daughter that it isn’t 20 along this road, it’s 30mph. She came back and said she was totally unaware it was 20mph.’ A police spokesman said they would investigate Mr Baker’s complaints.

Summary: Police said they were too busy to monitor drivers in Richard Baker's road . Pensioner made a 'Max Speed 20mph' sign and stuck it on the roadside . Officer arrived at doorstep 30 minutes later demanding he remove notice . Mr Baker, 71, and partner fear someone will be knocked down and killed .


Jonny Wilkinson has rubbished reports he will join England's back-room staff for the World Cup, claiming 'they've already got all the coaches they need'. World Cup-winner Wilkinson scotched French media reports he would assume a kicking coach role in England's build-up to hosting World Cup 2015. The former Toulon and England fly-half has addressed Stuart Lancaster's squad several times, and admitted he will continue that ad hoc relationship. Jonny Wilkinson (left) insists that he is not on the verge of joining the England coaching team . Wilkinson did admit that he would one day love the chance to be involved with the national team . Jonny Wilkinson has a coaching role at Toulon, the club he finished his playing career with . Wilkinson believes that England already have many accomplished members in the coaching setup . The 35-year-old admitted he harbours 'serious reservations' about whether he will seek a full-time career in coaching, despite currently holding a skills role at Toulon. Wilkinson lives close to England's Pennyhill Park training base in Bagshot, and uses the hotel gym - where he admitted he comes into casual contact with the Test squad. 'They've already got all the coaches they need and everyone can see how good the job is that they are doing,' said Wilkinson. 'There's no need for me to be there, apart from just to be positive. 'It came out of France, which is why it's so random. I don't know why they would know anything about what I'm supposed to be doing. 'But in terms of being around England, it's great because there's no feeling that I need to sneak through, if I see someone, Stuart Lancaster, Graham Rowntree or the players, I just say 'hi, how's things?'. 'There's absolutely nothing I can say about that story, honestly, it's the most difficult thing, because I can say actually nothing about it. 'It's as clear as, I imagine, someone has decided 'I'm going to write this' and then there's a story. 'It's not annoying. It makes no difference to my life either way, but it probably does to you guys. 'I live just round the corner (from Pennyhill Park) and I use the gym so sometimes when I'm walking down to the gym I'll bump into Catty and I'll ask him how things are. Wilkinson (left) won the World Cup with England and scored 1,179 points for his country in 91 matches . Wilkinson has been linked with joining Stuart Lancaster's coaching team for the 2015 World Cup . England finished as runners-up at the Six Nations, falling short of winning the title by six points . 'Sometimes I'll bump into Andy Farrell or Mike Brown, who I've played with and against. When you see them it's good to have a catch-up. 'I live at the gym as well, which doesn't help! 'That's probably the main thread here, that unfortunately I'm at the gym too much, so it might look like I'm hanging out with the squad when I'm not. 'It's nice to be around that atmosphere, it reminds a fair bit

Summary: Jonny Wilkinson admits he would relish the chance to work with England . But he insists he is not on the verge of joining the coaching staff . Wilkinson currently has a coaching role with French team Toulon .


The real-life Wolf of Wall Street has defended his upcoming Masters of Wealth speaking tour where he will teach Australians how to 'ethically' make money - while he is still paying back more than $98 million he owes to investors. Jordan Belfort, whose debaucherous rise to riches at the helm of stockbroking firm Stratton Oakmont was portrayed in the 2013 Martin Scorsese film, is preparing to run a series of workshops in Sydney and Melbourne in March. These include one day talks and a $2497 three-day boot camp teaching wealth-seekers the secrets of persuasion and success. The real-life Wolf of Wall Street has defended his upcoming Masters of Wealth speaking tour where he will teach Australians how to 'ethically' make money . Jordan Belfort's debaucherous rise to riches at the helm of stockbroking firm Stratton Oakmont was portrayed by Leonardo di Caprio (pictured) in the 2013 Martin Scorsese film . Stratton Oakmont investors – who lost about $200 million through the firm's stock price manipulation in the late 1980s and 1990s – are still waiting on Belfort to repay in full the $110 million in restitution that he was ordered to pay when convicted of fraud and money laundering in 2004. A CNBC profile on Belfort, which aired on Thursday night in the U.S., said Belfort had still paid less than $12 million. But Belfort defended his suitability to give the workshops he says will help Australian business owners and investors 'take their wealth to the next level'. 'I don't see what I did 25 years ago has to do with what I do today,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I have an ability to help and motivate and train and power entrepreneurs and sales people.' Belfort defended his suitability to give the workshops he says will help Australian business owners and investors 'take their wealth to the next level' Stratton Oakmont investors lost about $200 million through the firm's stock price manipulation in the late 1980s and 1990s . He said it was a 'fallacy' that he had not paid back the U.S. government-ordered restitution. 'The answer is I paid back a lot of money, there's whole controversy that I was underpaying but in fact the judge ruled in my favour. 'The government was wrong I overpaid what I was supposed to pay. 'I still continue to pay all the time, all the book money goes back to investors and the movie money and I pay extra money towards it myself.' The CNBC American Greed program reported that Belfort says he doesn't have to pay any more of the money now his probation is over but that he 'wants to'. But the U.S. Attorney says Belfort has to give half of his income towards his judgement. Belfort is preparing to run a series of workshops in Sydney and Melbourne in March .

Summary: Jordan Belfort will run a series of workshops in Sydney and Melbourne . He will teach Australian entrepreneurs how to 'ethically' make money . The real-life Wolf of Wall Street has defended conducting the speaking tour while he is still paying back more than $98 million he owes to investors .


League Two high-flyers Luton Town will rename their home ground the Prostate Cancer UK Stadium for one match to raise awareness of the disease, the club said on Wednesday. The former top-flight club, now playing in the fourth tier, said the 10,000 capacity of their 110-year-old Kenilworth Road ground represented the amount of men who die of prostate cancer each year in Britain. The name change will take effect for the match against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday. Luton's Kenilworth Road ground will be renamed the Prostate Cancer UK Stadium for one match . Luton are chasing promotion from League Two and currently sit sixth in the table . 'We are extremely proud to be the first club to partner with a charity such as Prostate Cancer UK by renaming our stadium, albeit temporarily,' chief executive Gary Sweet told Luton's website. 'We felt sure that once the full story emerged about our supporting Prostate Cancer UK, our supporters would understand and fully support the move. 'This is a first for Luton Town and a first in football and we are delighted to be teaming up with a charity which has supported the game, in particular supporters and players past and present, so well.' It is the first time an English stadium has been named after a charity. Prostate cancer claims the same number of men's lives a year as the capacity of Luton's home ground . Luton are in the promotion playoff places, occupying sixth position in the table, 12 points behind leaders Burton Albion. Prostate Cancer UK director of fundraising Mark Bishop, said: 'The power of sport - and in this case football - has helped us reach out to men and their friends and families. 'We thank the club's players, staff and supporters on behalf of the 300,000 men living with prostate cancer in the UK.'

Summary: League Two club will rename ground to Prostate Cancer UK Stadium for one match - against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday . Kenilworth Road capacity is same as annual male deaths for the disease . This is the first time that English Stadium has been named after a charity .


Deputy PM Nick Clegg making Cornish pasties during a visit to St Merryn school in north Cornwall . Nick Clegg yesterday handed over £150,000 of public money to promote a language barely anyone speaks. The Lib Dem leader’s generosity to the handful of Cornish speakers is the latest in a series of extraordinary gestures to the county over recent months. Yesterday’s handout brings Coalition spending on attempts to revive Cornish to £500,000 – enough to give nearly £900 to every person who speaks it. The Deputy Prime Minister’s interest in Cornish provoked cynicism among opponents, who pointed to his party’s lowly status in the polls. It comes a week after the party announced a drop in fuel prices that mainly benefits areas full of Lib Dem voters. The 5p cut on fuel duty covers 17 rural areas, 14 of which are Lib Dem seats. Three of Cornwall’s six MPs are Lib Dems with slim majorities and Mr Clegg even chose to visit the county rather than attend the Commons on the day Chancellor George Osborne presented his Autumn Statement in December. Mr Clegg said: ‘I am determined to keep [Cornish] alive and thriving. ‘Great efforts have been made to revive and return Cornish to common use. It would be a crime to let such a distinct language disappear again.’ Cornish has not been widely used since the 18th century. At the 2011 census 557 people listed it as their first language. Last April, Lib Dems persuaded the Council of Europe to recognise Cornish people as a ‘national minority’ in England, which means the Government is now pledged to ‘combat discrimination’ against them. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘I don’t know what the Cornish is for a blatant electoral bribe, but with £150,000 of taxpayers’ money I’m sure that Nick Clegg can tell us. It would appear that Mr Clegg is trying to buy votes with public money.’ The money will go to the Cornish Language Partnership, an organisation financed by taxpayers and run by activists and local council nominees. Mr Clegg said yesterday he will stay on as a caretaker deputy prime minister if there is a hung parliament because the country will need a government in place to ‘keep the lights on’. He confirmed he was prepared to stay on while coalition talks are hammered out, which could take weeks or months.

Summary: Liberal Democrat leader’s generosity to handful of Cornish speakers is latest in series of extraordinary gestures to county over recent months . Handout brings Coalition spending aimed at reviving Cornish to £500,000 . Deputy Prime Minister’s interest in Cornish provoked cynicism among opponents, who pointed to his party’s lowly status in the polls .


While interstellar space travel is still in the realm of science fiction, scientists say that if an alien ship came within range of Earth at near light speed, we would be able to detect it. This is according to a pair of defence engineers who say that any spacecraft travelling that fast would leave distinct light signatures in its wake. But their study also reveals the tricky physics of travelling at near light speeds, calculating that a collision with single dust grain would release energy equal to 5291lbs (2,400kg) of exploding TNT. A pair of defence engineers say that any spacecraft travelling close to the speed of light would leave light signatures in its wake because it would interact with the cosmic microwave background (pictured). The panels show how scientists predict the CMB signature would change as the spacecraft increases speed . California-based Raytheon engineers Ulvi Yurtsever and Steven Wilkinson claim that spaceships travelling at near light speeds would interact with the cosmic microwave background (CMB). CMB is the light left over from the earliest moments of creation that has been stretched across the entire cosmos as the universe expanded. A fast-moving spacecraft would collide with cosmic microwave photons, say the engineers, creating highly gamma rays, according to a report inMIT Technology Review. Raytheon engineers suggest that spaceships travelling at near light speeds would interact with the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Pictured is a Narn spacecraft from Babylon 5 . The researchers have estimated that each cubic centimetre of space contains over 400 microwave photons. This means a spaceship would collide with thousands of billions of photons every second creating something known as electron-positron pairs. Each of these pairs would cause drag on a spaceship. 'Assuming an effective cross-sectional area of say 100 square meters, the dissipative effect is about two million Joules per second,' said Yurtsever and Wilkinson in their study. There may be many things we don't understand about the universe, but one thing we can be certain of is that the speed of light cannot be exceeded. Right? Not necessarily, according to one scientist. He claims that a certain effect may be capable of producing the illusion that 'spots' of light travel faster than lightspeed. And his research says that when this occurs, the spots produce a phenomenon known as a 'photonic boom'. The controversial study was carried out by physics professor Dr Robert Nemiroff from Michigan Tech University, and he recently presented his research at the 225th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle. He claims that if you shine a powerful enough laser pointer on the moon from Earth and sweep it across the surface, the 'spot of light' could appear to move faster than the speed of light. This is because, in this hypothetical scenario, if another person standing on a moon attempted to shine a light across the moon at the same time, it would take longer. 'The stream of particles (photons) from your laser pointer can sequentially impact the moon so that another light beam - confined to the surface of the moon

Summary: Engineers say spacecraft travelling that fast would hit photons of light . This would cause interstellar aliens to leave light signatures in their wake . But travelling so fast means there will be significant drag from photons . A collision with a single dust grain would release energy equal to 5291lbs (2,400kg) of exploding TNT .


The typical meat-lover will eat 7,000 animals in their lifetime including 11 cows, 27 pigs, and 2,400 chickens, it has been revealed. By the time they reach 80, just over the average life expectancy for Britons, carnivores will have consumed 30 sheep, 80 turkeys and 4,500 fish each, according to the Vegetarian Calculator. If rabbits, ducks, geese, goats, prawns, squid and other small animals are included then the total rises closer to 7,500. If a meat eater lives to the age of 80, just over the average life expectancy for Britons, they can expect to chew their way through 80 turkeys, 27 pigs, and 2,400 chickens (file image) The numbers were revealed by Vegetraian Calculator, a campaign group who are urging people to eat less meat to reduce their impact on the environment. However, meat eater Steve Hunt, 41, from London, said he would never give up eating animals. He said: 'They think the vegetarian calculator will shock people into giving up meat, but to be honest when I did it I realised I needed to eat more turkey and lamb - I’m nowhere near my quota.' Bodybuilder Torvald Alexander, 45, of Edinburgh, Scotland, said he was a big fan of meat - but that you should have a ‘healthy, balanced diet’. He added: 'Providing you don’t overdo it, meat is very good for you, especially chicken and fish. 'I treat myself to a nice leg of lamb every now and again and it does me a few days in leftovers. Once prawns, squid, goats, rabbits, ducks and other small creatures are included, the total rises to close to 7,500 according to campaign group Vegetarian Calculator . 'It’s all about balance - getting enough fresh fruit and veg as well as the odd bit of meat and you can’t go wrong, . 'If you eat bacon sandwiches every morning, have a sausage roll for lunch and a steak for dinner then you’re heading for trouble.' The Vegetarian Calculator Facebook page states: Vegetarians use less resources like water, food, oil, contribute less CO2 to the atmosphere, and animals are not killed for their consumption. #Raising livestock contribute more to global warming than automobiles, and is the second leading cause of global warming behind industrial pollution.' NHS guidelines recommend eating meat as part of a balanced diet, however they also suggest limiting the amount of red and processed meat, as it has links to bowel cancer.

Summary: Average British meat-eater will consume 7,000 animals in their lifetime . If prawns, squid, goats and rabbits are included total rises closer to 7,500 . NHS guidelines warn patients to limit intake of red and processed meats .


REASONS TO STAY ALIVE . by Matt Haig . (Canongate £9.99) Matt Haig was working in Ibiza with his girlfriend Andrea when his life suddenly changed. At 24, he was a self- confessed party animal who drank too much, while eating and sleeping too little. One day he felt his brain flickering and tingling inside his head and he became overwhelmed by a feeling of intense panic as well as the desire to end his life. Matt Haig's first-hand account of the brutal sickness is a scintillating read . ‘To escape a mind on fire, where thoughts blaze and smoke like old possessions lost to arson.’ He walked to a cliff edge, looked at the Mediterranean and thought: ‘A single step — versus the pain of being alive.’ From time to time most people will moan that they feel ‘depressed’. The word is easy to reach for when feeling vaguely down or perhaps when we’ve become sad for a very good reason — such as a recent bereavement or the loss of a job. Or when the stress of work or moving house is so great that you can’t sleep — or get up in the morning. Yet real clinical depression should not be confused with such other faces of gloom. In this short, scintillating, first-hand account of depression and how he combated it, novelist Haig leaves us in no doubt as to the true, terrifying nature of the beast. Writing 13 years after suddenly being struck down by ‘a new claustrophobic and suffering reality’, Haig provides enough detail about the symptoms of depression to deter anyone from taking the name of this cruel condition in vain. Sadness is not a sickness — but depression most certainly is. Suicide kills more people than stomach cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, colon cancer, breast cancer or Alzheimer’s, according to World Health Organisation figures. Haig takes this a step further: ‘As people who kill themselves are, more often than not, depressives, depression is one of the deadliest diseases on the planet. ‘It kills more people than most other forms of violence — warfare, terrorism, domestic abuse, assault, gun crime — put together.’ Again and again he finds fresh ways of letting the reader know exactly how bad depression is: ‘At its worst you find yourself wishing, desperately, for any other affliction, and physical pain, because the mind is infinite, and its torments — when they happen — can be equally infinite.’ One of his most valuable points he makes is that depression can strike down any sort of person. Haig is highly educated, comes from a very happy background, has devoted parents and was already lucky enough to be in a stable relationship with the wonderful Andrea that has proved a lifesaver. He wants us to understand that (a) depression is widespread and (b) anyone can be struck down. ‘Millionaires, people with good hair, happily married people . . . people who exude happiness in their status updates, who seem, from the outside, to have no reason to be miserable.’ Haig gives plenty of ‘reasons

Summary: At 24 Matt Haig's life changed when he developed clinical depression . In his book he shares his first-hand account of the brutal sickness . Suicide kills more people than stomach and breast cancers or Alzheimer’s .


I just cannot understand why Ian Ritchie has made such a statement. The first thing that surprises me is the timing, following one of the most exciting days ever in Five and Six Nations history. England’s victory over France was brilliant to watch, even if they did fall just short of winning the title. Twickenham was rocking and it was an amazing advert for the game ahead of a home World Cup. I’m in Switzerland at present and on the flight the pilot, air stewardesses and all the passengers were talking about Saturday and their real optimism for the World Cup. So for Ritchie to say finishing second is unacceptable just flattens the mood. It doesn’t seem right and is a massive own goal. Stuart Lancaster (second left) consoles his players after falling six points short of a Six Nations title . England captain Chris Robshaw (left) and his team-mates came second for the fourth year in succession . Ben Youngs celebrate his try during England's storming 55-35 Six Nations victory against France . More importantly, his words undermine Stuart Lancaster. I would go as far as to say he has belittled much of the progress that Lancaster and the team have achieved. If this had happened to me, I would be in Ritchie’s office demanding an explanation. This is professional sport and being a head coach is a tough position. The moment someone says something, the opposition see a chink, a weakness, and try to drive a wedge through it. It’s one thing to say these things in private, as professional sport is about winning, but to say them in public is wrong. If Lancaster has called the result unacceptable, fair enough, but Ritchie has no qualifications to talk about the team’s performance. This year is all about preparing for the World Cup and England put 55 points and seven tries on the board in style. The atmosphere at Twickenham for England's final Six Nations match was electric from start to finish . This was the time for a pat on the back and a united front. Ian Ritchie appointed Stuart Lancaster after an interim period, which was a brave decision when he had the opportunity to put in far more experienced coaches. He appointed an inexperienced coach in Lancaster yet later awarded him a six-year contract. If the priority was short-term gains, he should have been given a one-year contract. Coming in with no international coaching experience, Lancaster has done a very good job. Wales and Ireland are very strong teams too so to think you can just win Grand Slams and championships is very naive and just brings back the tag that the English are arrogant. Ian Ritchie (right) should be backing Lancaster ahead of the eagerly-anticipated World Cup in September . I’m sure Ritchie had good intentions, perhaps wanting to be seen to be saying the right thing after another title miss. But he will regret what he said as England are in a very good position. If England are going to win the World Cup, they have

Summary: Ian Ritchie's words have undermined England coach Stuart Lancaster . If this had happened to me, I would be in Ritchie’s office demanding an explanation . This year is all about preparing for the World Cup . England put 55 points past France and should be lauded for that display . Coming in with no international coaching experience, Lancaster has done a very good job . Ritchie will regret what he said as England are in a very good position .


Mauricio Pochettino defended Tottenham’s post-season trip to Australia and insists it stands them in good stead to launch an attack on the top four. Spurs will face Sydney FC in Australia on May 30, a week after this campaign finishes. The decision appears to weaken the club’s stance regarding potential burnout of Harry Kane and the manager held talks with Under 21 boss Gareth Southgate on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino (left) has defended Tottenham's post-season trip to Australia . The Spurs boss embraces Hugo Lloris after the 2-0 Capital One Cup final defeat against Chelsea last weekend . But Pochettino is adamant that the trip Down Under will be beneficial, giving his squad an edge in the race for Champions League qualification. ‘It was my decision. It’s important because we’re trying to avoid going on tour during pre-season,’ Pochettino said. ‘It’s never proper for the team to go to Asia or America at the beginning of the season to spend time doing commercial business.’ Tottenham will spend their pre-season at home and are planning to play a series of one-off friendlies rather than join the cluster of Premier League clubs who prefer to train abroad. ‘I’ve had bad experiences of tours, when you’re going far away,’ Pochettino added. ‘Experiences as a player helps as a manager. It can upset your preparations.’ Tottenham winger Andros Townsend celebrates after scoring during Tottenham's 3-2 win against Swansea . The decision appears to weaken the club’s stance regarding potential burnout of Harry Kane . Spurs will face Sydney FC in Australia on May 30, a week after the Premier League campaign finishes .

Summary: Mauricio Pochettino reveals Tottenham's post-season trip to Australia was his idea . Spurs boss believes trip Down Under will benefit his squad . Pochettino has held talks with England Under 21 boss Gareth Southgate about the potential burnout of Harry Kane .


Alicia Blanco-Clements, six, pictured with her mother Aimee, was called 'pirate girl' by a teacher . A six-year-old schoolgirl who has to wear an eye patch due to severe visual problems was left in tears after a teacher called her 'pirate girl' when he couldn't remember her name. Alicia Blanco-Clements was standing in the wrong queue to leave the packed assembly hall at Springfield Primary School in Chelmsford, Essex, when Jona Davies made the comment. Her older sister Olivia, 11, spotted her sister in the wrong place before hearing their deputy head teacher call her 'pirate girl' as he tried to attract her attention in front of the school last Wednesday. She said the ordeal was the talk of the school and that students from different classes were talking about what Mr Davies, 44, had said to her little sister. He allegedly sought out Olivia, a Year 6 pupil, in the playground to explain his actions - but he didn't apologise to Alicia directly. She said: 'My sister was queuing in the wrong place and that’s when Mr Davies called her "pirate girl". He forgot her name and so he was trying to get her attention.' That evening, Olivia explained to her mother Aimee, 30, a midwife at Queen's Hospital in Romford, what had happened. Mrs Blanco-Clements said: 'I was absolutely horrified. Alicia is normally smiling from ear to ear when I pick her up from school but on Wednesday she was really solemn and I could tell she was upset. 'It was only when my other daughter Olivia told me what had happened that I went marching into the school to confront him. 'I couldn't believe that someone with such authority could be so ignorant and insensitive. We spoke but he didn't seem sincere.' Alicia has suffered from an impairment in her left eye since she was two and is also extremely short sighted and is only able to see about a metre in front of her due to the condition termed 'lazy eye'. The patch, which she wears for six hours a day, helps to maintain the 20/20 vision in her right eye. Jona Davies allegedly called the six-year-old 'pirate girl' after forgetting her name and trying to get her attention as she was in the wrong queue after assembly . Specialists at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, have warned the family that if the eye has not improved by the time Alicia is eight-years-old, she will be 'stuck' with that level of vision for the rest of her life. Mrs Blanco-Clements, who also has an 18-month-old son named Teddy, added: 'Alicia is so, so, vulnerable because of her eye patch. It has made her very self conscious and timid anyway. 'So to have that comment said in front of the whole school was the worst thing imaginable. It could make life so much harder for her - she said "mummy, it's made me feel scared and sad". The childhood condition amblyopia, or more commonly known as a 'lazy eye', occurs when the vision in an eye doesn't develop properly. This usually

Summary: Alicia Blanco-Clements was standing in wrong queue at end of assembly . Jona Davies was trying to get her attention when he called her 'pirate girl' Her older sister Olivia, 11, overheard and told their mother at end of day . Aimee Blanco-Clements and her husband Liam went back to confront him . She said he was 'ignorant and insensitive' and his apology was 'insincere' Headteacher, Sharon Tyler, has apologised 'unreservedly' for comment . Alicia had impairment since she was two and has to wear patch to help it .


A doctor helped to deliver a baby over FaceTime after a mom went into labor unexpectedly. Keyanna Rivera visited her doctor's office in Newark on Thursday, but her doctor Meena Devalla, was a few miles away at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville finishing surgery. But Ms Rivera went into labor and began to give birth to Raphael. Keyanna Rivera, pictured with her son Raphael, visited her doctor's office in Newark on Thursday, but went into labor . Doctor Meena Devalla (pictured) helped during the birth by giving instructions through FaceTime . 'His head was just hanging there,' she told NBC. 'Yes, he was ready.' And there was no stopping him.' The office manager grabbed her iPhone and Ms Rivera's husband held it up to the staff at the office could be instructed in what to do by Dr Devalla. 'I just instructed them how to cut the clamp and where to cut it and make sure it was clamped properly to make sure the baby could breathe. 'Thanks to FaceTime it helped, the technology really helped,' said Dr Devalla told WHDH. 'His head was just hanging there,' she told NBC.'Yes, he was ready.' And there was no stopping him' Oswaida Torres, one of the assistants, (pictured) helped in the process although she had never delivered a baby before . Ms Rivera did not use pain killers or medication when delivering her son . Oswaida Torres, one of the assistants, helped in the process although she had never delivered a baby before. 'I was a little nervous,' she said. 'Thank you to the Lord that everything worked out and mommy and baby are doing great.' 'Everything happened so fast,' Ms Rivera said. 'I think we got there at 11:30 - and he was out by 11:50.' Ms Rivera did not use pain killers or medication.

Summary: Keyanna Rivera went into labor at her doctor's office . Her doctor Dr. Devalla was a few miles away finishing surgery . Using app Dr. Devalla was able to help her assistants through the delivery .


A 39-year-old female driver set herself on fire, crashed her car on a bridge and then jumped 40 feet to a park below in an apparent suicide attempt, but managed to survive, Oregon police said Thursday. The Eugene woman was being treated for critical injuries at a Portland-area hospital. The woman's family had recently reported her missing, police spokesman John Hankemeier said. A 911 caller reported Thursday afternoon that a car appeared to be on fire from the inside, with the woman at the wheel driving recklessly, The Register-Guard newspaper reported. Scene: A 39-year-old woman apparently set herself on fire intentionally while behind the wheel of this Hyundai, crashed her car on a bridge and then jumped 40 feet to a park below. She is now in a critical condition . After the car crashed into a bridge guardrail, witnesses told police the woman jumped out — while on fire — and began taking her clothes off as she ran to the edge of the span. Truck drivers tried to put out the flames with fire extinguishers and a female driver who stopped at the scene tried to grab the woman from the edge, but she was still able to jump, police said. 'I am thankful for the witness who helped us piece together what happened and was trying to keep this woman from jumping off a bridge,' traffic Lt. Doug Mozan said. Mozan praised the female passer-by who attempted to save the woman. 'Her efforts were nothing less than heroic,' he said. When the car crashed, a piece of its bumper sailed over the bridge, injuring a 40-year-old woman below. Investigation: Police say they were able to piece together the events that lead to the woman being found in a park below this bridge thanks to accounts from witnesses . The pedestrian was treated for minor injuries, police said. The car was still engulfed in flames when police arrived, Mozan said. It appeared an accelerant had been used inside the vehicle. The accident damaged the bridge and traffic was backed up for almost two hours. The fire and crash remain under investigation. 'I believe it was intentionally set on fire but at this point we're still investigating,' Mozan told KVAL-TV. 'I think according to witnesses she was spreading some sort of propellant but it's hard to say what exactly that was.'

Summary: Woman, 39, from Eugene, had been reported missing by her family . Apparently used an accelerant to set herself alight in car . She then crashed on a bridge and jumped off, landing in park 40 feet below . Police say passers-by stopped to help her and put out the fire . She is in a critical condition in hospital .


Aaron Ramsey believes Wales can pull off a summer surprise against Belgium and take a huge stride towards reaching the Euro 2016 finals in France. Wales coasted to a 3-0 victory over Israel in Haifa on Saturday night to top Group B in European Championship qualifying, with their next game at home to group favourites Belgium on June 12. Belgium are ranked fourth in the world and made their own statement of intent on Saturday when they thrashed Cyprus 5-0 in Brussels. Aaron Ramsey (right) insists Wales can spring a surprise against Belgium on June 12 . Ramsey wheels away in celebration after scoring the first goal during Wales' 3-0 victory against Israel . The Red Devils will top the group by beating Israel in Jerusalem on Tuesday but Wales held Belgium in Brussels in November and Ramsey believes they can upset them again in the return fixture at the Cardiff City Stadium. 'We'll be looking forward to Belgium,' Ramsey said after opening the scoring against Israel with his ninth international goal. 'It's a tough game but we are full of confidence at the moment. We are top of the group, so why can't we win the game?' Arsenal midfielder Ramsey revealed his goal celebration when he pointed to the heavens was in honour of his grandmother who died last weekend. 'My nan passed away on the weekend, that's why it's been quite tough,' Ramsey said. Ramsey (right) points to the heavens in honour of his grandmother who died last weekend . Ramsey was mobbed by his Wales team-mates after putting them ahead at the end of the first half . 'My goal was for her. I'm just really proud I could score the goal for her. I know she's looking down on me and I was glad I could score. 'I shut my eyes, got my head on it and thankfully it went in. It was a great performance and 'Ginge' (James Collins) said in the dressing room that's maybe the best performance away from home he has been involved in. 'We looked quite comfortable and played with a lot of belief. 'It was a great performance from the boys, we came here believing we could get a result and we managed to do it. 'We kept ourselves in the game, defended really well and then we got the goal before half-time and it opened up a bit more.' Marouane Fellaini scored twice to help Belgium to an impressive 5-0 victory against Cyprus on Saturday . Eden Hazard (left) bagged a goal and an assist as Belgium continued their Group B march . Ramsey's goal preceded a double strike from Gareth Bale which took the game away from 10-man Israel in the second half. Bale's form for Real Madrid has been widely criticised in Spain but he has now scored six goals in his last six appearances for his country. 'He was unbelievable,' Ramsey said. 'Every time he comes away with Wales he puts on a performance. He got two goals himself and an assist, it was a good job for

Summary: Aaron Ramsey insists Wales can spring a surprise against Belgium . Wales earned 3-0 Group B victory against Israel on Saturday night . Chris Coleman's face Red Devils in Euro 2016 qualifier on June 12 . Ramsey gave hosts the lead before Gareth Bale bagged a brace .


Five pensioners have been killed in their homes in a stabbing spree in rural Japan allegedly by a neighbour who had tweeted about stalking and telepathy before the killings. The suspect was named by police as Tatsuhiko Hirano, an unemployed man reportedly described as a 'hikikomori' - or social misfit. Police found the bloodied bodies of a man and a woman, both aged around 80, in the main house on the site on the quiet island of Awajishima . Two unconscious women, aged around 60 and 80, were discovered in another building, while a badly wounded man in his 60s was found outside. All three were rushed to hospital and were later confirmed dead, police said. Massacre in rural Japan: Detectives comb the scene in Sumoto city on the Japanese island of Awajishima where five pensioners were stabbed to death by a neighbour who has reportedly confessed to the killings . The alarm was raised by a 32-year-old woman who rang police to say her parents had been stabbed. The 40-year-old suspect is being quizzed by detectives, but the motive was unclear and police have yet to find the weapon used in the attacks. Local media said Hirano's clothes were spattered with blood and that he had admitted to the multiple killing. A Twitter account that appeared to be run by the suspect had been used over the past month. Tweets included one with the address of the homicides and a map of the scene. Other tweets appeared to be about telepathy and stalking. The attacks happened in Sumoto, a small city on an island in western Japan, said deputy police chief Keizo Okumoto. Hirano lives in the area with his father and grandmother, Jiji Press reported. Locals told the agency he rarely leaves his home and has largely been isolated from society since his school days. Map showing Awajishima in Japan where police arrested a man suspected of stabbing five people to death . The phenomenon of so-called 'hikikomori' -- literally 'the withdrawn' -- rears its head fairly frequently in Japan. Often it applies to maladjusted people in their teens or early 20s who shut themselves away for years in their parents' homes, many living in darkened bedrooms with little or no human contact. While many eventually emerge, others continue well into adulthood, protected from the pressures of life by their ageing parents. Violent crime is relatively rare in Japan and even more so in most small towns. Sumoto, a city of 44,000 people on Awaji island, is known for its oranges, onions and Awaji beef. Japanese television stations showed the victims' homes surrounded by agricultural fields. 'Normally, we get one call a day, if that,' Mr Okumoto said. 'And usually it's about a bike theft or someone getting beaten up.'

Summary: Bodies of man and woman in their 80s found dead by police in one house . Two women in 60s and 80s and man in 60s found with fatal injuries nearby . Suspect has reportedly confessed to killings after being arrested by police . He has been described in Japan as a 'hikikomori' - literally 'the withdrawn' His Twitter account had the address of the homicides and a map of scene . Other tweets on the account appeared to be about telepathy and stalking .


A balloon carrying sensors designed to detect the faint traces left by alien life on other planets has been sent on a mission high into the Earth's atmosphere. The Planetary Atmospheres Minor Species Sensor (PAMSS) spent more than an hour at 105,000 feet above the Earth's surface taking measurements before parachuting safely back to the ground. The experimental sensor, developed by researchers at Nasa and the University of Central Florida, was being tested ahead of plans to send the device to other planets. The high altitude balloon above carried the new highly sensitive instrument 19.8 miles into the atmosphere . Capable of detecting traces of gas at parts per trillion - far more sensitive from current technologies - it could reveal the existence of life on other planets. Even low levels of methane on a planet could indicate that there is life there breaking down organic material. The PAMSS sensor is launched into the air beneath a high-altitude balloon from Tucson, Arizona . Professor Robert Peale, a physicist at the University of Central Florida who is leading the project, said: 'Our sensor has the potential to detect specific gases at extremely low concentrations. 'Metabolic byproducts of life include characteristic gases like methane, which on Mars would be a very low concentrations.' Professor Peale and his team launched their sensor, which uses an infrared laser the size of a grain of salt, on a high altitude balloon from Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday. The toaster-sized device uses a technique known as 'intracavity laser absorption spectrometry' to detect small amounts of gas. Most atmospheric probes used to day are unable to measure the concentration of trace vapours or gases. However, Nasa hopes that by using the PAMSS they may be able to detect small amounts of methane on other worlds like Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus. Low levels of methane have already been detected on Mars with hot spots where levels are thought to spike. Scientists now want to explore these more closely in the hope that here may still be life existing somewhere beneath the surface. The test on the balloon was designed to show that the PAMSS could function in the extreme cold and low pressures of near space. In the stratosphere temperatures fall as low as -75°F (-59°C). Scientists claim to have discovered evidence that suggests there may be alien life living high up in our own atmosphere. Researchers from the University of Sheffield and Buckingham University claim to have gathered samples that show microscopic organisms are living 16 miles up in the stratosphere. Using a high-altitude balloon, they gathered samples of dust and other microscopic debris high above the Earth's surface and say they found fragments of single celled algae known as a diatom. They argue that this could be the first evidence to show how life may have arrived on Earth from space, perhaps carried here by meteorites. It is not the first time organisms have been found in the atmosphere and indeed the skies are thought to be teeming with microscopic life. Scientists working with Nasa

Summary: Planetary Atmospheres Minor Species Sensor can detect tiny traces of gas . It can detect just one molecule of methane among a trillion other molecules . Toaster-sized instrument flew 19.8 miles above Earth's surface in first test . It spent an hour at 105,000 feet collecting data before parachuting to Earth . Nasa hope to send it to Mars and other planets to search for signs of life .


U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a highly cautious assessment on Saturday ahead of the next round of nuclear talks with Iran, citing 'important gaps' in the way of a deal before an end of March deadline. At a news conference in Egypt, where he attended an economic discussion, Kerry also said a U.S. decision would come shortly on unblocking hundreds of millions in suspended military assistance for the Egyptian government. Three days before Israel's election, America's top diplomat expressed hope that any government voted into power 'meets the hopes for peace' in the Middle East. Scroll down for video . U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at a news conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Saturday. He said he's returning to nuclear negotiations with Iran with 'important gaps' standing in the way of a deal . But on the Obama administration's most important foreign policy priority - talks with Iran to curb its nuclear program - Kerry was circumspect. He said only a negotiated agreement could provide long-term assurance that Tehran would not develop nuclear weapons. But with a deadline just two weeks away, he could not say whether the United States and other world powers would be able to reach a framework accord with the Iranians or even were close. 'We have made some progress but there are still gaps, important gaps, and important choices that need to be made by Iran in order to move forward,' Kerry told reporters in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. 'The purpose of these negotiations is not just to get any deal,' he said. 'It is to get the right deal.' Speaking after a week of U.S. political fighting over the diplomatic outreach to Iran, Kerry lambasted Senate Republicans who signed an open letter to Iran's leaders suggesting any deal they reach with the administration could expire the day President Barack Obama leaves office. Such tactics, which Kerry called unprecedented, will inevitably raise questions among Iran and America's allies in the talks, he said. He said that in order to provide long-term assurance that Tehran would not develop nuclear weapons, more negotiations need to occur . The conflict between the administration and mainly Republicans in Congress has emerged as among the tensest subplots to the diplomatic effort. Because U.S. lawmakers can block the lifting of some penalties against Iran and potentially pass additional trade or financial restrictions, they hold the power to undermine an accord. They are pressing for at least a say in whether any deal the U.S. and its partners reach is acceptable. Negotiators are talking about freezing Iran's uranium and plutonium programs for at least a decade in exchange for a gradual easing of economic pressure on the Iranians. Many in Congress say the U.S. should hold out for greater dismantlement of Iran's nuclear infrastructure. But opponents of a deal have been vague about what types of continued nuclear activity - if any - they would deem acceptable. 'What's the alternative?' Kerry asked. 'In previous years when U.S. policy was not to talk to Iran and insist

Summary: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said only a negotiated agreement could provide long-term assurance that Tehran wouldn't develop nuclear weapons . He said he couldn't say if U.S. or other nations could reach a framework with Iran before the end of the month . But he said a decision will come shortly on unblocking hundreds of millions in suspended military assistance for the Egyptian government .


This weekend's FA Cup action unsurprisingly brought up a number of talking points. Here, Sportsmail's Graham Poll talks us through the key events from Liverpool's FA Cup quarter-final draw with Blackburn on Sunday. Andre Marriner was well served by not giving decisions at Anfield, where there were four decent penalty appeals. While one could make a case — certainly technically — for three of the four to be given, I felt Marriner got every one of those decisions right. Liverpool’s best chance of a penalty was their first appeal when Adam Lallana went down under pressure from Matt Kilgallon. Liverpool attacker Adam Lallana (right) was denied a penalty after tumbling from a challenge by Matt Kilgallon . Lallana can't believe it after referee Andre Marriner waves away his protests . While slow-motion replays perhaps indicated that Kilgallon may not have played the ball, he certainly appeared to from all angles at full speed. The other two appeals in the first half were for handball and both were accidental. Blackburn defender Kilgallon (left) also made contract with Daniel Sturridge in the box during the second half . Early in the second half, Daniel Sturridge felt Kilgallon’s arm make contact so he went to ground, knowing he wasn’t going to reach the pass played for him. Once again, Marriner was right to allow play to continue, understanding that not every contact is a foul.

Summary: Liverpool drew 0-0 against Blackburn in their FA Cup quarter-final tie at Anfield on Sunday . There were four decent penalty appeals during the game . Referee Andre Marriner got every one of them correct . The two handballs in the first half were accidental and Matt Kilgallon played the ball despite Adam Lallana going down under the challenge . Kilgallon made contact with Sturridge in the box, but Marriner was also right to wave play on as the former knew he wasn't going to get the ball .


Emma Sayle, founder of the Killing Kittens sex parties, who are hosting their first event in New York City . She is best known as the society beauty who attended the same school as the Duchess of Cambridge and now organises sex parties for young actors and models. And now Emma Sayle, founder of the Killing Kittens parties is taking her events to New York City, it has been reported. Miss Sayle has been hosting the parties for the ‘sexual elite’ at secret, upmarket locations, which include discreet boutique hotels in Surrey, country estates in Berkshire and West Sussex, and luxury penthouses in London and LA. Those who hope to gain access must be aged between 18 and 45 and must either be a single girl or part of a couple. Applications are made via the Killing Kittens website and must be accompanied by a photograph. Now the New York Post has reported that the first Killing Kittens party will take place in a rented loft in Manhattan near to the Flatiron building on Saturday. It is thought around 60 people have already signed up to attend the party, including bankers and models. She told the newspaper: 'Statistically, New York is in our favour for it to work. 'It might help with all the frustration of all those women who can’t find men. They can come and share the men!' An event in Los Angeles is also set to take place at the weekend. Ms Sayle went to Downe House, the all-girls public school in Berkshire where Kate Middleton was also briefly a pupil. The entrepreneur then attended the University of Birmingham, where she first started organising parties and charities events. After graduating, she did a stint in the City before gravitating towards PR. It was then that she became acquainted with the sex-party industry. She also joined the Duchess in a dragon boat team called the Sisterhood for a charity race in 2007. Ms Sayle attended the same public girls school as the Duchess of Cambridge. They are pictured together in 2007 taking part in a dragon boat race for charity . Her first Killing Kittens event took place in Covent Garden, Central London, in 2005. Since then she has expanded the business across the UK, and has staged parties in the United States, with plans to host events in Australia and New Zealand. Speaking last year and referring to her UK Killing Kittens parties, which are aimed at those aged between 18 and 45, Ms Sayle said: ‘We've have had a few MPs and famous singers. 'We haven’t had any Royals yet but there have been a few A-list actors and actresses – but I couldn't reveal who.’ Last year, she also revealed how she had expanded her parties to cater for older people over the age of 45. Video courtesy London Real . A tweet from the Killing Kittens twitter account publicising their parties, which are set to be held in New York City and LA over the weekend . Like their younger counterparts attending Ms Sayles’s Killing Kittens

Summary: Emma Sayle is founder of Killing Kittens, company organising sex parties . She attended Downe House School with the Duchess of Cambridge . Has hosted sex parties at various location across the UK and in LA . Now she is set to host her first ever Killing Kittens event in New York City . Thought that already around 60 people have signed up to attend the party .


SO YOU'VE BEEN PUBLICLY SHAMED . by Jon Ronson . (Picador £16.99) Shame stalks the land. It wakes us up at three in the morning. It inhabits the most secret corners of our lives. It’s a complete waste of time and energy, but for many of us it’s a lifetime’s work to get shot of it. I think I’ve lost most of mine, but I still have a little spare if you’re running short. At the same time, the real villains of the piece, the people who really should feel shame for what they have done and continue to do, feel none at all. Jimmy Savile was shameless. I know a few bankers, and I don’t know one who feels anything but delight that he and his kind have got away with it. So this is an important subject, and a fascinating one. Two new books consider shame from different points of view. Jon Ronson is a journalist and broadcaster who has built up something of a reputation writing about extremely odd people. For this book, however, he has spoken to normal people who found themselves in distinctly abnormal situations. For these are people who have been shamed, publicly, humiliatingly, horribly. Sometimes what they have done is pretty bad; sometimes what they have done is nothing much at all. But in each case, the judgment of the mob has been merciless. In his book, Jon Ronson insists that there is potential in everyone for this merciless judgment (stock image) Take the case of Justine Sacco, a young New York PR who tweeted this: ‘Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get Aids. Just kidding. I’m white!’ As jokes go, it’s definitely at the bad taste end of the spectrum, and it’s not one I’d make. But the point is: it was a joke. One of Justine’s 130 followers on Twitter retweeted this, then others re-re-retweeted it. When she landed at Cape Town airport, there was a text from her best friend. ‘You need to call me immediately. You’re the number one worldwide trend on Twitter right now.’ The abuse was astonishing. ‘All I want for Christmas is to see @Justine Sacco’s face when her plane lands and she checks her inbox/voicemail.’ ‘We are about to watch this @Justine Sacco b**** get fired. In REAL time. Before she even KNOWS she’s getting fired.’ And worse, much much worse. A man was waiting at the airport, took a photo of her and posted it online. Newspapers ran stories on her. She had to cut short her holiday because hotel staff were threatening to go on strike if she showed up. She was fired from her job and no one else would hire her to do anything. Her life was ruined over a bad joke. Ronson tells this terrible story in his deadpan way, his sympathies clearly with the victim. But he admits that he too has been part of a Twitter mob monstering some poor fool who had done something he didn’t approve of. This is what public shaming amounts to these days. Justice, says

Summary: Jon Ronson has a reputation for writing about extremely odd people . He has spoken to normal people who have been humiliatingly shamed . In his book he insists the potential for such behaviour is in all of us .


Weapons, vehicles and equipment worth more than $500 million that the United States gave to Yemen to help them fight terrorism has gone missing. Officials fear that the military hardware - thought to include 160 Humvees, four Heuy II helicopters, four hand-launched drones, two Cessna aircraft, a specialist surveillance aircraft and four patrol boats - may have fallen into the hands of an Iranian-backed militia or al-Qaeda. Small arms and other equipment, such as M-4 assault rifles, Glock 9mm pistols, body armour, pairs of night vision goggles and 1.25 million of rounds of ammunition, may also have vanished. Missing: U.S. firearms supplied to the Interior Ministry in Yemen, many of which may have gone astray . Violent: Members of the Houthi militia walk in front of the scene of a drive-by shooting in which one Houthi official was killed . The hardware has gone missing since 2007. The Pentagon has now suspended several other packages of military aid to the country. Requests from Yemen for heavy weapons, including fast jets, tanks and artillery, have also been rejected. Keeping track of military aid has become more difficult since the U.S. closed its embassy in the capital Sana'a in February after the city fell into the hands of Shia rebels, according to the Washington Post. Yemen's government was ousted by Shiite rebels who are supported by Iran. The Houthi rebels have seized many buildings around the capital and in the northern part of the country. President Obama tasked US military advisers to train Yemeni anti-terror forces. The US began shipping military aid to Yemen in 2007. It is feared that some of this weaponry may have been looted by powerful families in Yemen but much of it is feared to have made its way to Jihadis. Meanwhile, the Houthi rebel group, which has been in control of Sana'a since September, has released members of the government from house arrest. Horror: A Yemeni boy stands next to bloods stains at the site where Abdul Karim al-Khiwani, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Huthis who control Sanaa, was shot dead . Violence continues to plague the country. This week, one of Yemen's top journalists and activists close to the Houthi militia, Abdul Kareem al-Khaiwani, was gunned down by motorcyclists in front of his son, according to the group's official television channel al-Maseerah. Yemen is torn by a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Houthis in the north and the U.N.-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has set up a rival seat in the southern port city of Aden with Gulf Arab support.

Summary: America has given large amounts of military aid to Yemen since 2007 . Pentagon has suspended all military aid packages to Yemen in the pipeline . It is rejecting further requests from Yemen for fast jets, tanks and artillery .


California Chrome, the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner who finished second to Prince Bishop in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, has been confirmed as a definite runner at Royal Ascot in June. The four-year-old, trained by Art Sherman, has the 10-furlong Prince Of Wales’s Stakes on June 17 in his sights but could first take in the one-mile Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 16. California Chrome will be based at Rae Guest’s stable in Newmarket during his stay here. California Chrome has been confirmed as a definite runner for Royal Ascot in June . Co-owner Perry Martin said: ‘We are grateful for the opportunity to race at Royal Ascot and hopeful that California Chrome can put up a good show. We are looking forward to the experience.’ Further overseas interest in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes could be supplied by Japan’s Spielberg, a Grade One winner on his home turf and third in the Japan Cup in November. The news of California Chrome’s British venture emerged hours before Newmarket trainer Roger Varian confirmed that his 2014 St Leger winner and Arc fourth Kingston Hill will miss the first half of the season. Prince Bishop crosses the finish line at Meydan to win the Dubai World Cup on Saturday . Races like the Coronation Cup at Epsom and the King George at Ascot had been expected to be on Kingston Hill’s agenda. Varian said: ‘He has sustained a superficial injury to his left fore. He is sound but sore. He has an area of significant bruising and inflammation which will take time to settle. ‘We will now target the top middle distance races later in the season with all roads leading back to Longchamp in October for a another crack at the Prix de l’ Arc De Triomphe.’

Summary: California Chrome has been confirmed for Royal Ascot in June . The four-year-old has the Prince of Wales's Stakes in his sights . The horse finished runner-up to Prince Bishop in the Dubai World Cup .


If you're single and struggling to find a girlfriend, you might want to consider a change of profession. Because a study has found that women are more attracted to men who display heroic traits such as war heroes, successful sportsmen and firemen. However, the study found the opposite wasn't true, and men did not find heroism to be a sexually attractive trait in women. Phwoar: A Study by the University of Southampton says women prefer war heroes. They are also attracted to other heroic professions like being a fireman. However, men prefer women to not be in a heroic profession. 'Only males seem to benefit from displaying heroism,' said Dr Leunissen from the university . The study was carried out by the University of Southampton and published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour. In the research 92 women studying in the UK were presented with hypothetical profiles of the opposite sex, representing varying levels of heroism in different contexts such as warfare, sport and business. They were then asked a series of questions designed to determine how attracted they were to the different profiles. Women were more likely to find a soldier attractive, and were more inclined to date him, if he had been awarded a medal for bravery in combat. Ladies should behave like men if they want to work in male-dominated industries, according to a controversial study. Research by Professor Ann Marie Ryan, a psychologist at Michigan State University, suggests recruiters prefer more masculine traits to those commonly associated with women. She asked women to apply for leadership roles in male-dominated industries such as engineering in front of a panel of volunteers asked to evaluate the candidates' suitability. Some of the women were asked to emphasise 'masculine-like' traits such as assertiveness, independence and raw ambition. Others were asked to display more 'feminine traits' - warmth, supportiveness and a nurturing nature. The panel, irrespective of the gender of those sitting on it, decided that leadership required more dominant and assertive traits to be shown during the interview process. But whether or not a non-decorated soldier had seen combat in a warzone or remained in the UK did not have a statistically significant effect on his attractiveness. Displays of heroism in other fields, such as in sports or in business, also had no effect on how likely women were to find them attractive. In a subsequent experiment by the researchers, 159 women and 181 men studying in Holland took part in a similar exercise to determine their level of sexual attraction to the opposite sex. This time, the soldier profiles displayed various levels of bravery, either in combat or by helping in a natural disaster zone. Again, heroism in combat increased women's levels of sexual attraction towards male soldiers, but heroism in a disaster zone had no impact. Female heroes, both in combat and in disaster zones, were deemed less attractive by men than their non-hero counterparts. 'This provides evidence for the hypothesis that gender differences in intergroup conflict can have an evolutionary origin, as only males seem to benefit from

Summary: Study by University of Southampton says women prefer war heroes . They are also attracted to other heroic professions like being a fireman . However, men prefer women to not be in a heroic profession . 'Only males seem to benefit from displaying heroism,' said Dr Leunissen from the university . The team also found Medal of Honor recipients had more children .


England's stars headed to Turin to face Italy as Roy Hodgson's men seek revenge for their World Cup defeat last summer. Both England and Italy exited at the group stage in Brazil, but the Italians did at least manage one win, beating Hodgson's side in the opening game in Manaus. But a new-look squad, led by Harry Kane, who scored on his debut last Friday, flew out on Monday hoping to set the record straight when the sides meet in Tuesday evening's friendly . Harry Kane, who scored just a few seconds into his England debut on Friday, boards the plane to Turin . England manager Roy Hodgson prepares to lead his team to Italy to face one of their World Cup opponents . England captain Wayne Rooney could become the country's all-time record scorer against Italy . Goalkeepers Joe Hart and Jack Butland share a joke as they walk along the tarmac at Luton airport . England have been in excellent form in qualifying, the 4-0 win over Lithuania at Wembley marking their fifth straight competitive win since the debacle in Brazil. And with captain Wayne Rooney, who scored again on Friday, primed to match Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record, there is optimism again for the Three Lions. But they are now set to be tested by a stronger side for the first time, in the shape of Antonio Conte's team. The Italians however have had a testing time of things since the World Cup, sitting second in their qualifying group after snatching a late goal away to Bulgaria in their last match. Phil Jones (right) and Fabian Delph head to the plane as England seek revenge for their World Cup defeat . Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, who came off the bench in the win over Lithuania, prepares to fly to Italy . Ross Barkley and Rob Green head for the flight as England hope to keep up their winning run . Chelsea defender Gary Cahill walks through the airfield as England head to Turin .

Summary: England set to face Italy in Turn on Tuesday night . The two sides met in Brazil during World Cup, with Italy winning 2-1 . But England have won all five competitive games since exiting Brazil .


Screaming in fear as they are violently shackled, these monkeys are traumatised as they suffer chemical testing after being transported by Air France. The shocking footage shows the helpless macaque monkeys being restrained and force fed with tubes shoved down their throats and up their noses. Chemicals are then pumped into their bodies and the distressing footage shows the panicked animals writhing in agony after being injected. The monkeys are then forced into tiny cages and held in plastic tubes where they can be seen desperately trying to escape as they are held captive. Scroll down for video . Terrified: These macaque monkeys are clearly traumatised as they are experimented on in a laboratory . Tortured: The monkeys are seen having tubes forced up their noses and down their throats to sedate them before the testing . Shocked: The footage shows the monkeys being tested on . The shocking scenes were caught on camera by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as part of their protest against Air France being the only major carrier still shipping monkeys destined for experiments. Last year, more than 23,000 non-human primates were imported into the United States alone, PETA said. The monkeys are primarily crab-eating macaques, thousands of which are transported from Mauritius to laboratories in the United States and Europe. In the horrific footage, one lab technician even warns his colleague about her brutal treatment as she tries to insert the tube, and says: 'You're going to kill him.' But the woman angrily fires back: 'I'll ram it down his f***ing throat.' Many of the thousands of monkeys shipped from Asia and Africa by Air France were first torn away from their homes and families in the wild. The sensitive and intelligent animals are crammed into small wooden crates and transported inside dark cargo holds for nearly 30 hours, often on passenger flights just below unsuspecting customers. Restrained: With their arms and legs secured, the monkeys are also restrained at the neck to make sure they comply with the laboratory's demands . Panicked: The monkeys are held in plastic tubes where they can be seen desperately trying to escape as they are held captive . Caged: The macaque monkey are also forced into tiny cages where the lab technicians are seen forcefully handling them . When the monkeys reach their final destinations, they are imprisoned in tiny cages and tormented in painful, terrifying – and often deadly – experiments. The footage in the video was taken inside a for-hire laboratory, that conducts toxicity tests on monkeys in which they are force-fed chemicals pesticides and drugs. Previous footage taken inside a laboratory that conducts toxicity tests showed monkeys being force-fed chemicals, pesticides and drugs. Many of the monkeys are also sold on to private companies and universities that poison, mutilate, cripple and kill them in cruel experiments. Previous videos have also shown monkeys that have suffered from rectal prolapse from the stress of being restrained, blackened lungs, trembling, collapse, bleeding and self-mutilation - including one animal who chewed its finger to the bone .

Summary: Horrific footage shows crab-eating macaque monkeys caged for testing . Thousands of monkeys worldwide torn away from families and tortured . Air France are the only major international airline still shipping animals . People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals call on them to stop . For more detail on PETA's Air France campaign, visit: http://PETAUK.org/airfrance .


A headteacher allegedly set up a threesome with a prostitute who he wanted to spank while she was dressed as a schoolgirl. David Nicholson, 48, sent the woman explicit messages saying he was ‘keen’ on her dressing up like a pupil and was ‘looking forward to putting you over my knee’, it is claimed. The married father-of-four is under investigation after apparently using his school email address to contact an £150-an-hour escort through an adult website and arrange a meeting with her and another woman. Headteacher David Nicholson is accused of sending messages to a prostitute about spanking her when she is dressed up in school uniform as he allegedly organised a threesome with her and another woman . When one of them replied telling him she liked dressing up as a schoolgirl and being spanked, he allegedly responded: ‘I love this and would be keen.’ Mr Nicholson, who is headteacher of the 1,000-pupil Costello School in Basingstoke, Hampshire, allegedly organised a liaison in a hotel room on a night when he was due to be working away from home. However, he was forced to call off the plan when the meeting he was using as a cover was cancelled. He promised to stay in touch with the women to set up a new date, it is claimed. Governors at the academy school last night said they were investigating the allegations in The Sun newspaper. Mr Nicholson denies the claims. Yesterday, the two prostitutes said they were shocked to discover what he did for a living. One of the women, aged 20, told The Sun: ‘He is a head and his fetish is spanking girls dressed in school uniforms, that’s quite scary. In his position he should be trusted.’ The other woman said: ‘If I had kids I wouldn’t want them to go to that school to be honest. What sort of family man is he? He should set an example.’ Mr Nicholson, who is training to be an Ofsted inspector, presents an image of himself as a loving and trustworthy man in postings on social media. Mr Nicholson has worked as headteacher at The Costello School in Basingstoke since September last year . He lives with his wife 15 years Karina, 43, a local councillor, and their children in the Wiltshire village of Great Bedwyn, which is surrounded by stunning countryside. The Cambridge graduate moved to the Costello School last September, having previously worked as deputy and then headteacher at Abbeyfield School in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Mr Nicholson is accused of sending messages to one of the escorts, showing his enthusiasm for one of them dressing up in school uniform and being spanked. He used his school email to send the imessages . On his Twitter account he describes himself as a ‘husband and father’. In pictures posted online he is shown on his wedding day in July 2000 posing with Mrs Nicholson outside a local church before riding off from the service on a tandem bicycle. After the prostitutes’ claims were published yesterday, Mr Nicholson said he was ‘mortified’ by the

Summary: David Nicholson is the head teacher at Costello School in Basingstoke . He is accused of sending messages to a prostitute to organise a threesome . Woman said she likes dressing up in school uniform and being spanked . Mr Nicholson allegedly replied saying he would 'love this' and 'be keen' He has denied the claims and school said he has not been suspended . Governors have launched an investigation and Mr Nicholson is absent .


Over the course of his career, Michael Chopra’s net-finding abilities have cost clubs in excess of £9million in transfer fees. Once tipped as Alan Shearer’s heir apparent during his formative days at Newcastle United, he made a fortune in English football, lost a chunk of it through a well- publicised gambling addiction, and most recently played in the Indian Super League with Kerala Blasters. Now, in a move that caused Scottish football to perform a collective double take, Chopra has joined Championship strugglers Alloa Athletic until the end of the season. Michael Chopra appears for Alloa Athletic for the first time against Rangers at Ibrox on Tuesday . The 31-year-old made his debut as an injury-time substitute during Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Rangers at Ibrox, confirming that this remarkable coup by a part-time club hadn’t actually been some form of elaborate hoax. Among the many questions that sprang up from his appearance in a black-and-gold jersey, a simple one seemed the most obvious: Why? ‘Once I finished in India, my main objective was to get back and I’ve been looking around at what leagues I could play in,’ said Chopra, a former England youth international who was most prolific during two spells at Cardiff City. ‘The last week I’ve been training at Port Vale and I got a phone call on Monday asking if I would like to come to Alloa, and I jumped at the chance. ‘This isn’t a financial thing because I could have got more money from one of the offers I had in England but I just want to play and get some goals. Chopra (right) comes on as a substitute during the second half of the Scottish Championship match . Chopra speaks on his phone as he walks on the pitch ahead of the Rangers match on Tuesday . ‘It’s a challenge for me but, if I can help keep Alloa in the Championship, then it will have been well worth it. ‘I’m also desperate to play in the Petrofac Training Cup Final (against Livingston on April 5) because I’ve never actually won anything in the game and it would be brilliant if we won that. People ask me if I even knew of Alloa but I did — I actually watched them beat Rangers 3-2 on the telly earlier in the season! ‘I loved it at Ibrox the other night when I got a couple of minutes. I can’t believe Alloa are where they are in the league. ‘I’ve never played in Scotland before but I thought the standard was good and the fitness levels unbelievable when you consider we’re part-time. ‘Honestly, I played for Blackpool admittedly during some hard times for that club (last season) but this Alloa team is better than that Blackpool one. Alan Shearer (right) celebrates with Chopra after scoring for Newcastle against Wigan in April 2006 . ‘And here at least you know the guys will give 100 per cent. You know you will get a shift from the guy next to you and that’s not always been the case

Summary: Michael Chopra signed for Alloa Athletic on Tuesday . The 31-year-old striker made his debut against Rangers at Ibrox . Chopra's former clubs include Newcastle, Cardiff and Sunderland .


Paul Murray admits the new Rangers regime is still waiting to see whether Mike Ashley will send two of his men onto the board. The Ibrox interim chairman confirmed the terms of the initial £5million loan taken from Sports Direct by the previous hierarchy means Ashley retains the right to appoint directors. Murray insists Rangers now have no need for any further money from the Newcastle United owner, having this week instead secured a £1.5m loan from the Three Bears consortium to cover short-term needs. Newcastle owner Mike Ashley holds an eight per cent stake in Rangers and loaned the club £5m . However, he hopes to have talks with Ashley once a wider review of existing commercial deals with Sports Direct – who own 75 per cent of the club’s retail subsidiary – is complete. ‘We’ve had no discussions with Mike Ashley or Sports Direct so far but, as we have said before, we are happy to engage with them and feel we should do,’ Murray told Rangers TV. ‘They are an eight per cent shareholder and have financial arrangements with the club. We need to have that conversation pretty soon, but as yet we’ve had no discussions with them. ‘Mike Ashley does have the right to nominate two board members. It would be to the main public company, the International Football Club, and he has got rights under the first £5m loan to do that. ‘He’s showed no intention of doing it so far but he has the right to do it if he wants to - and we’d have to address that if and when he chooses to do that. Interim chairman Paul Murray (left) will have discussions with Ashley about his involvement at Ibrox . ‘I think, as Dave King was saying, one of the big information-gathering exercises was to look at the whole relationship between Sports Direct and the club. ‘There are a lot of relationships and there is a lot of documentation to go with those and we have spent the last three weeks looking at all of that. ‘We haven’t finished that review yet. I think once we have done that we will sit down, hopefully with Sports Direct and Mike Ashley, and try and agree a way forward.’ King has held off from becoming a director but intends to step into the chairman’s role providing he passes the SFA’s 'fit and proper’ person test. ‘The processes regarding both mine and Dave’s fit and proper persons test are pretty advanced,’ added Murray. Prospective chairman Dave King (right) has to pass the SFA’s ‘fit and proper’ person test . ‘We have said, and we will honour the fact, that we want to rebuild the relationship with all the governing bodies and we have to respect their processes and procedures.’ Murray also insisted he wants to help build a ‘modern Rangers upon traditional foundations’. He said: ‘People have spoken about having Rangers men on the board and getting back to a Rangers way of doing things but I think we also need to be a bit more

Summary: Rangers took a £5million loan from Sports Direct to help cover costs . As part of agreement Mike Ashley can name two board members at Ibrox . Rangers took £1.5m loan from Three Bears consortium earlier this week . Interim chairman Paul Murray will have discussions with Ashley .


Robbie Brady is ready to put himself in the firing line as the Republic of Ireland attempt to derail Poland's charge for the Euro 2016 finals. The 23-year-old Hull winger could yet be asked to fill in at left-back having slotted into that position to spectacular effect in November's 4-1 friendly victory over the USA, in which he scored twice. Brady could be required with Stephen Ward still battling to shake off the after-effects of a broken ankle, but he insists he will be happy to be cast in the role of emergency defender if manager Martin O'Neill calls upon him. Robbie Brady acknowledges the crowd after Republic of Ireland lost against Scotland at Celtic Park last year . Brady scores from a free kick for Republic of Ireland against USA at the Aviva Stadium last November . He said: 'Over the last couple of years, I have been a bit more accustomed to the role. I have played there quite a bit, so if he calls upon me on Sunday and needs me to play left-back, I'll play left-back and I'll give 110 per cent, and hopefully we can come away with the result we need. 'It's definitely a change, but it's just concentration more than anything else. It's just work on the mind more than the body. You know how quick and how strong you are, it's just getting your positioning right. 'The more I play there, the more comfortable I feel. I have played there quite a bit and I will be ready to play there if that's where he needs me to play.' Indeed, Brady views the prospect of having to adapt his game to another position as one which can only benefit his career in the longer term. Brady (front left) holds off a challenge from Germany's Andre Schurrle and Toni Kroos (right) last October . He said: 'You need to learn new things if you are going to push on in the game, and hopefully that's just another string to my bow. Hopefully I can show that in the upcoming games and many years to come.' Brady has played only minutes of football in more than a month after damaging a calf muscle in training with his club, although he admits the prospect of pulling on the green shirt against the Poles was a major motivation in his quicker-than-expected recovery. He said: 'When it happened, one of the first things that popped into my head was this game. I was looking forward to getting ready for it and that just put a bit of a bump in the road. Hull City's Brady (right) is tackled by Aston Villa's Fabian Delph during a Premier League match last month . 'But I feel great, I have done everything I needed to do and I have got back for a game that I really wanted to be playing in. 'It felt quite bad at the time, so I knew I'd done something that was going to put me out of playing. I'd just had a good run of games

Summary: Republic of Ireland face Poland in Euro 2016 qualifying on Sunday . Robbie Brady could be asked to fill in at left-back for Stephen Ward . The 23-year-old scored twice against the USA last November .


A slow motion video of a chameleon as it snares its prey has revealed the creature's incredible tongue acrobatics. Captured at 1,500 frames per second, the video shows the chameleon attacking a cricket with remarkable speed and skill. To do this, the Panther chameleon shoots out its tongue to almost twice its body length in little more than 0.07 seconds. Scroll down for video . A slow motion video of a chameleon as it snares its prey has revealed its tongue acrobatics in incredible detail. Captured at 1,500 frames per second, this screenshot shows the chameleon attacking a cricket . The video, captured by BBC Earth Unplugged, reveals how the tongue reaches around 41G - is four times faster than the maximum acceleration of a fighter jet. The creatures have a bone in the base of their tongue which fixes the powerful muscles, along with special tissue that effectively works as a spring. When a muscle called the long accelerator contracts, the retractor muscles relaxes. This causes other muscles to press against collagen springs, giving it incredible power and speed. Location: Northern parts of Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Size: Male panther chameleons can grow up to 20 inches in length, with a typical length of around 17 in (45 cm). Females are smaller, at about half the size. Lifespan: Two to five years . Reproduction: Panther chameleons reach sexual maturity at a minimum age of seven months. Females usually live only two to three years after giving birth. The tongue’s tip is a bulbous ball of muscle, and as it hits its prey it forms a small suction cup. With eyes that operate independently like gun turrets, the remarkable reptile also has a full 360-degree arc of vision around itself. In January, new measurements showed a chameleon tongue moving with the highest power yet documented for a vertebrate motion. The South African chameleon species Bradypodion thamnobates releases its tongue with up to 41,000 watts of power per kilogram of muscle involved. Previous studies didn’t record anything so high because they focused on larger chameleons, the Brown University study said. When comparing body-size relationship with tongue performance, smaller species had tongues that were much more powerful that bigger ones in various mouth athletics. The Panther chameleon shoots out its tongue to almost twice its body length in little more than 0.07 seconds . The tongue’s tip is a bulbous ball of muscle, and as it hits its prey it forms a small suction cup dragging it in .

Summary: The video, by BBC Earth Unplugged, features a Panther chameleon . It shows the creature shooting its flexible tongue out in 0.07 seconds . Tongue reaches 41G - four times faster than acceleration of a fighter jet .


Two years ago, Wu Mu Xiang was inconsolable following the death of her 26-year-old son. But after the heartbreak of losing her only child, the 57-year-old became a mother again after giving to twin babies, the People's Daily reported. In a rare move for China - which enforces a one-child policy - a hospital agreed to give Mrs Wu and her 60-year-old husband IVF treatment. Wu Mu Xiang, 57, and her 60-year-old husband cradle their twins after she gave birth following IVF treatment . Twins En En and Dian Dian were born two months early and were placed on the neonatal intensive care unit . Mrs Wu and her husband used up all their savings on the IVF treatment and even borrowed money from friends but never revealed what their plans were . Mrs Wu said the births of En En and Dian Dian had given her the strength to live on after the tragedy of losing her only son, Wu Jianyu on February 27, 2013. He passed away just eight months before his wedding day after being diagnosed with acute cerebral thrombosis. Following his death, Mrs Wu lost the will to live, hardly ever speaking and often crying in bed. She even suggested her husband try to have a child with another woman. After he rejected the idea, they thought of IVF and the Fujian Province hospital agreed to give them the treatment. Mrs Wu said the births of En En and Dian Dian had given her the strength to live on after the tragedy of losing her only son, Wu Jianyu on February 27, 2013 . Their 26-year-old son passed away just eight months before his wedding day after being diagnosed with acute cerebral thrombosis . Mrs Wu and her husband used up all their savings on the IVF treatment and even borrowed money from friends but never revealed what their plans were. On January 21 this year, Mrs Wu was taken to Shaowu hospital but after two days was transferred to the Fujian Province hospital. Three days later, she gave birth to the twins at the age of 57 following a caesarean section. Son En En was born three minutes before his sister Dian Dian. Because the twins were born two months early, they were placed in the neonatal intensive care unit. Despite the pain from her operation, Mrs Wu would still brave the five floors of the hospital to see her children. She now awaits their safe transfer from hospital where they will be raised by her and her 60-year-old husband.

Summary: Wu Mu Xiang's son Wu Jianyu died from acute cerebral thrombosis at 26 . The 57-year-old has now given birth to twins after IVF treatment in China . Mrs Wu said births of 'En En' and 'Dian Dian' given her strength to live on .


A Barcelona director had sensationally claimed that Manchester United midfielder Angel di Maria was sold by Real Madrid last summer because he is 'too ugly'. Di Maria, who has been struggling for form in recent United games, left the Bernabeu for £59.7m having guided Carlo Ancelotti’s side to the Champions League last season. Carles Rexach says Di Maria was only allowed to leave as his image doesn’t fit the Galacticos brand that current club president Florentino Perez is trying to assemble at the La Liga giants. Former Real Madrid midfielder Angel di Maria is on a poor run of form for Manchester United . Di Maria was substituted at half-time during Manchester United's win over Sunderland on Saturday . Rexach says recent Real Madrid signings Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez prove his point and fit the image Perez is busy creating. Barcelona's assistant director of football also brought up former Los Blancos boss Vicente del Bosque, who was sacked in 2003, despite winning two Champions League titles and domestic trophies. Rexach told Spanish media outlet Regio7: ‘(Vicente) Del Bosque and Di Maria are too ugly for Real Madrid. They are different from Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez. ‘Florentino Perez looks at the world market and wants a team of Galacticos for everyone to admire. ‘(Cristiano) Ronaldo is the flagship of the club. Perez is selling an international brand.’ Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney (right)and Di Maria's before the weekend win over Sunderland . Barcelona's Carles Rexach says Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Toni Kroos (right) fit the club's desired image . James Rodriguez (right) greets Real Madrid president Florentino Perez during a training session .

Summary: Angel di Maria joined Manchester United from Real Madrid last summer . Barcelona director claims Di Maria was sold because he is too ugly . The £59.7m club record signing started well but has lost form . Di Maria was substituted at half-time in the 2-0 win against Sunderland . READ: Wayne Rooney backs di Maria to succeed at Manchester United . READ: Di Maria had to come off, admits Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal .