A creepy video shows how a black spider, believed to be a Huntsman, refusing to let the force of the powerful flush button get the better of the courageous critter. The extraordinary fight in the creature would be admirable if it was not so scary as it doesn't matter how many times it gets dumped into the toilet bowl the spider won't give up. The spine-tingling footage of the eight-legged furry fella suggests that maybe spiders also have nine lives as it keeps coming back for more as it keeps springing back into action. The creepy crawly appears from under the toilet bowel due to the pressure of the flush and get dumped into the water (left) and then climbs it way up thee porcelain several times with gangly legs (right) As soon as the flush button is pressed the creepy crawly appears from under the toilet bowel due to the pressure when it seems safe to presume it only has a matter of seconds before disappearing down the pipe and never to be seen again. Just when you think you can let your guard down - the spider fights extremely hard for its life by desperately trying to cling onto the side of the porcelain with its legs as it lands in the water numerous times. When the flushing stops the spider curls into a ball and leads you to believe that it has surrendered to the violent loo but then suddenly bounces back to life and climbs back up the bowl. The critter kept going into a ball which misled you to believe that all was lost but then miraculously stretch its long legs all the way to the top of the bowel . But the remaining running water knocks it back down again and the spider goes back into a ball for long enough to think that it has to be all over for creepy critter by now. After being washed back down a few more times it manages to miraculously stretch its gangly legs and stride up the bowl yet again. When the spider realises that it's free of the dreaded giant flush - the exhausted creature takes a few seconds to catch it's breath before going back up under the bowl - the opposite side to where it appeared at the beginning of the traumatic experience. When the spider realises that it's free of the dreaded giant flush - the exhausted creature takes a few seconds to catch it's breath before going back up under the bowl .

Summary: Black spider appears from under toilet bowl as the flush button is pressed . Believed to be a Huntsman, it gets repeatedly dunked into the water . But the dark creepy crawly continues to fight for its life over and over again . Every time it looks to have lost all hope the critter sprang back into action .


Brazil came from behind to see off France in a friendly at the Stade de France, with goals from Chelsea midfielder Oscar, Barcelona forward Neymar, and Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Luis Gustavo. France had taken the lead through a Raphael Varane header, and looked to be in total control before Oscar's well-worked equaliser, but the visitors fought back strongly in the second half, and could have scored more as the game wore on. Neymar who already had 42 goals for his country before this game, made it 43, firing past Steve Mandanda from an angle which will have disappointed the French keeper, before Luis Gustavo was given the run of the penalty area to head home from a corner. CLICK HERE TO READ THE MATCH REPORT IN FULL . Host commentator . And that's it. Brazil come from behind in style to seal a 3-1 win against France and gain a tiny bit of revenge for their World Cup final defeat 17 years ago. Raphael Varane gave the hosts the lead with a powerful header but strikes from Oscar, Neymar and Luis Gustavo secured a deserved victory for Dunga's men. The Real Madrid man gets up and limps back but it looks like he's OK. Brazil's subs still working hard to close down France every time they get the ball. They've seen this out well. Fernandinho replaces goalscorer Gustavo with just added time remaining. Four minutes extra to be played. And off goes Firmino after a bit of discussion. Almost a debut to remember for Fekir as he picks the ball up on the edge of the box, creates some space and gets a low shot away which flashes just wide. Souza replaces Oscar. Schneiderlin bursts down the left and goes down after being clipped by Danilo. The Southampton man wants a free-kick but the referee isn't having it. Goal kick. Douglas Costa comes on for Willian and Giroud replaces Matuidi. Payet replaces Valbuena with just under 10 minutes to play. Neymar skips away from Schneiderlin, drives towards goal but blasts his shot high and wide from a little over 20 yards. To be fair to him the ball appeared to bobble as he struck it. Kondogbia replaces Sissoko and Fekir comes on for Griezmann. And there's number three! Gustavo gets away from his marker and heads the corner beyond Mandanda and into the corner. Awful defending but Brazil probably deserve a two-goal cushion. The visitors move up the pitch at speed with Willian and Neymar both involved. The Barca man picks out Oscar and his curled shot forces Mandanda into a diving save to his left. Corner for Brazil. Some neat skill and a long-range shot from Griezmann forces Jefferson into a fingertip save - possibly his best of the game. Valbuena delivers another good corner but Brazil deal with it. Within a minute of Varane's miss - with a Jefferson save from Sissoko sandwiched in between - Benzema misses a sitter. A deep cross found the Real Madrid man unmarked at the back post but he leant back and volleyed well

Summary: Raphael Varane gave France the lead with a header in the first half . Chelsea midfielder Oscar replied for the visitors before the break . Neymar and Luis Gustavo scored to seal victory for Dunga's side . France 1-3 Brazil - CLICK HERE to read the match report in full .


The Football Association will not be allowed to lay a wreath in Turin this week to mark the 30th anniversary of the Heysel disaster. With England playing Italy at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday, the FA wanted to take the opportunity to commemorate the deaths of 39 supporters before the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus by laying a wreath at a memorial outside the ground in Turin. The Italian club said they appreciated the gesture, but rejected the offer, claiming they did not want to detract from their own memorial in May. The FA said it respected Juventus' wishes. Liverpool and Juventus observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Heysel disaster in 1985 . A policeman looks across at the stand where the tragedy happened; 39 football fans lost their lives at Heysel . Alan Hansen, Ronnie Moran, Kenny Dalglish and Bruce Grobbelaar (left-right) lay a wreath for the victims of the Heysel disaster at Liverpool Catholic Cathedral .

Summary: The Football Association approached Juventus about laying a wreath in Turin ahead of Italy vs England on Tuesday . Juventus turned down the offer, but said they appreciated the gesture . The Italian club do not want to detract from their own memorial in May . It is 30 years since the Heysel disaster in which 39 supporters died before the 1985 European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool .


An obese nurse who lost 10st and was left with folds of saggy skin all over her body paid £20,000 to get her sex life back. Karen Smith, 42, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, was so self-conscious about her baggy skin and drooping breasts, she felt 'more confident when she was fat.' A former size 28, she took out a £10,000 loan and used an Eastern European clinic to have cheap surgery and achieve the 'body of her dreams'. Karen Smith, 42, slimmed down from size 28 to size 12 but was so self-conscious about her baggy skin and drooping breasts, she spent thousands on surgery to fix her figure so that she could enjoy her sex life . She was so scared her husband would leave her because of her excess skin that she had an upper arm lift, a tummy tuck, thigh lift, breast augmentation and uplift. Now, the size 12 mother from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, loves showcasing her body and dressing up for her husband Darren Smith, 43. Size 28 Karen was extremely self-conscious and despite being active through work, Karen was unable to shift the pounds and weighed 21st thanks to a carb-heavy diet. In 2009, she had lost two stone naturally but was unable to slim down any further. Karen was not eligible for treatment on the NHS, so in June 2009 she booked in for gastric band surgery at the private Spire Parkway hospital in Birmingham for £5,000. She said: 'After the surgery, my stomach was so small I was on a liquid diet for six weeks and then tiny portions.' Seven months after surgery, Karen had lost 9st 7lb and was a size 10 but she was left with folds of saggy skin due to the quick weight loss. Size 28 Karen was unable to shift the pounds and weighed 21st thanks to a carb-heavy diet . In 2009, she had lost two stone naturally but was unable to slim down any further so had gastric band surgery. She was, however, left with extremely sagging skin due to the quick weight loss . She was so scared her husband, Darren, 43, would leave her because of her flab, she had an upper arm lift, a tummy tuck, thigh lift, breast augmentation and uplift . She said: 'The baggy skin was worse than I’d ever imagined. Folds of flesh on my tummy meant slim cut jeans pinched. 'My bingo wings were so hefty. I had to go up to a size 12 just to cover my lumps and sagging bumps.' Her husband comforted her but she was so horrified she was no longer able to have sex with him. She said: 'I’d been more confident fat. My 44C boobs had shrivelled to a 36AA. 'Where my full thunder thighs had once constantly rubbed, a waterfall of skin sagged between my legs. 'Just to get comfortable when sitting, I had to tuck the loose flesh into my knickers. 'The only way I could even look at myself was when I was fully dressed, all covered up. 'I couldn’t even bear

Summary: Karen Smith, 42, dropped from size 28 to size 12 . Was self-conscious about her baggy skin and drooping breasts . Was too insecure to have sex with husband so spent £20,000 on surgery . Had upper arm lift, a tummy tuck, thigh lift, breast augmentation and uplift .


Southampton and Crystal Palace are keen on signing Charlie Austin from QPR in the summer. The 25-year-old, who has been among spectators enjoying the Cheltenham festival, has scored 15 goals in 25 Premier League appearances this season and QPR are keen to keep him with a new £50,000 a week contract offer in the pipeline. However, should they be relegated Austin is almost certain to leave and other Premier League sides are keen to tempt him away from Loftus Road. Charlie Austin has become hot property after scoring 15 league goals for struggling QPR this season . Rangers' poor form, especially on the road, has left them languishing in the relegation zone . England manager Roy Hodgson (right) watches Austin in action against Tottenham . Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has prioritised bringing in a new striker to support Graziano Pelle and has put Austin on his shortlist of targets along with Javier Hernandez of Manchester United and Alberto Bueno from Rayo Vallecano. Despite the interest, QPR will hold talks with the player at the end of the season and director of football Les Ferdinand said: 'We will be trying our best come the end of the season to make sure Charlie signs up and stays. Austin has the good grace for congratulate Tottenham keeper Lloris for denying him with his saves . Director of football Les Ferdinand has admitted it will be difficult keeping Austin if QPR go down . 'What we do understand is that players are ambitious. Sometimes they want to look elsewhere. 'We will be doing our best to make sure we give him the opportunity to stay and play in the Premier League. 'The aim is to replenish the squad and we don't want to be losing our best players like Charlie.' Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez (right) is another player on Southampton's radar .

Summary: Charlie Austin has scored 15 Premier League goals for struggling QPR . Rangers want to keep striker but face battle to survive relegation . Southampton and Crystal Palace among clubs interested in signing him .


The US Senate failed Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of a bill approving construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. It's expected to be the first of many confrontations between the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House this year over energy policy. The 62-37 vote involved eight Democrats voting with all 54 Republicans. A ninth Democrat, who also favors the pipeline project, missed the vote. At best, then, the GOP would have needed four more Democratic converts to override the veto and send the package to the House for its own attempt. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . NOT A HAPPY CAMPER: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, seen in the Capitol on Feb. 23, couldn't muster enough votes to override President Obama's Keystone XL veto . NOT TODAY: Obama signed the Homeland Security Department's budget into law on Wednesday, but has no intention of signing a Keystone construction bill . Pipes sit at the TransCanada Corp. Houston Lateral Project pipe yard in Mont Belvieu, Texas, waiting to be hooked up to a massive flow of Canadian oil from Alberta's tar sands . Democrats Michael Bennet of Colorado, Tom Carper of Delaware, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Jon Tester of Montana and Mark Warner of Virginia crossed party lines. Joe Donnelly of Indiana was the nonvoting supporter of the override. The same exact group of nine joined together earlier this year to give Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell enough votes to pass the bill, dubbed 'S. 1' because it was the Senate's first order of business in January. Already, the White House has issued more than a dozen veto threats on legislation favored by Republican lawmakers. The White House did not have an immediate comment on the vote, but Senior Adviser Dan Pfeiffer tweeted a rejoinder almost immediately. 'It seems GOP's decision to spend most of their first couple of months in charge on Keystone was not as good an idea as it seemed on paper,' he wrote on Twitter. Obama himself told Reuters in an interview Monday that he would reach a final decision on the project by the end of his term, leaving wiggle room for a future deal. And Danielle Droitsch, Canada Project director at the Natural Resources Defense Council,vlaimed Canada's 'dirty tar sands oil pipeline is simply not in America's national interest.' Proponents of the Keystone bill have said since its introduction that they didn't have the two-thirds of the Senate vote needed to override Obama's veto. They've already been discussing other way to force the pipeline's approval, either by attaching it onto must-pass spending bills or other, broader, energy legislation. 'If we don't win the battle today, we will win the war because we will find another bill to attach this pipeline to,' said North Dakota GOP Sen. John Hoeven, the chief sponsor of the bill, before the vote. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp, the state's other senator, said afterward that 'more work remains to gather additional support for this project.' 'Last Congress I successfully recruited

Summary: Obama's first veto this year killed approval of the Canada-to-Texas oil pipe . Eight Senate Democrats joined all 54 Republicans but the vote fell short . Two-thirds, or 67 senators, are needed to overturn a veto . The final vote was 62-37, with one Democrat who favors the pipeline absent . Republicans say they'll attach the Keystone language to a 'must-pass' bill later on, vowing the project is not dead .


Roy Hodgson is confident in Harry Kane's ability to shine for England, it is just a case of whether there is space for him in the upcoming squad. This has been quite the season for the 21-year-old, whose 24 goals in all competitions is far and away the best tally from any English striker this term. That form has impressed Three Lions boss Hodgson, who has strongly hinted recently that Kane will earn a first senior call-up in two weeks' time. England manager Roy Hodgson is open to the possibility of calling up Tottenham striker Harry Kane . The Spurs front man has is a regular in the England Under 21 set up and has been in great form for his club . Kane was far from his best in the Capital One Cup final but Hodgson said he thinks the striker is 'ready' It is not just the Spurs man vying for a striking berth, though, with a number of other in-form, uncapped players hoping to be involved against Lithuania and Italy. Saido Berahino, Danny Ings and Charlie Austin have all impressed for their clubs this season - but it is Kane who is the main talking point. 'He's in my thoughts of course, he deserves to be,' Hodgson said, speaking at the London Football Awards, which raises funds for national charity, Willow. 'He's scoring goals for one of our top teams in the Premier League but I know him anyway, he's done a lot of good work for the Under-21s. Burnley striker Danny Ings (right) is among the names for a call up to the Three Lions first team . QPR's Charlie Austin (left) and West Brom's Saido Berahino (right) have both been in fine scoring form . 'What pleases me most is young players are getting their chance to play. In the past 19, 20, 21-year-olds would be loaned out or would have to sit back and wait for their chance. Now more and more of them are taking the chance when they get it. 'I'm delighted for him and we'll see when I select my squad at the end of month if he's in it.' Asked whether Kane was ready to make the step up to the senior side, Hodgson said: 'He's ready. If he wasn't ready he wouldn't be playing for Tottenham and scoring lots of goals. 'The question you ask is has the player got the quality and talent we're looking for and is there a space for him? 'If he comes in then someone's going to drop out and most forwards we've got have done quite well in the autumn. 'But I can't include everyone unfortunately. It's not always a question of are they good enough, it's a question of is there space at this time.' However Kane is the one gaining all the attention having scored 24 goals in all competitions this season . Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck look set to be involved in the squad, while Rickie Lambert and Jermain Defoe are other experienced forward options when the national team

Summary: Roy Hodgson thinks Harry Kane is ready for an England senior place . The Three Lions boss commended the Tottenham striker's scoring record . However it remains to be seen if there is room for him in the squad . Hodgson added he is happy young players are getting a chance to play .


Harry Kane's goalscoring debut came as little surprise to his England team-mates, with Phil Jones expecting nothing less from the 'on fire' striker. A sold-out Wembley witnessed the latest chapter of the 21-year-old's fairytale rise, which has seen him go from Tottenham squad player to the country's most lethal frontman in just a matter of months. Kane was welcomed by a standing ovation when he came on as a second-half substitute and it took just 80 seconds for him to get the fans back on their feet, heading home with one of his first touches to wrap up a 4-0 win against Lithuania. Harry Kane celebrates his goal after drifting in at the far post and nodded in Raheem Sterling's cross . A jubilant Kane laps up the applause from England fans as he celebrates his first England cap with a goal . After the Euro 2016 qualifier centre-back Jones was asked whether he was surprised by Kane's goalscoring impact, to which he responded with a laugh: 'No! 'He has been doing it in training as well this week. He is on fire and we're delighted for him. 'He has been brilliant this season. He thoroughly deserved his call-up and the lads are delighted for him in the dressing room to score his first goal. He has been lively, he is a great lad and he has been scoring a lot of goals.' Kane connected with the looping ball to nod past keeper Giedrius Arlauskis as his fairytale season continues . Kane was named on the bench but when his chance came he grabbed it with both hands . The victory against Lithuania continued England's 100 per cent start to Group E - a cake walk which makes Tuesday's friendly in Italy an important test. The Three Lions have won seven successive matches since returning embarrassingly early from the World Cup and have a chance to lay some ghosts to rest against a side they lost to in Brazil. 'That will be a big test for us,' Jones said. 'We're going to Turin, it is a big stadium, a big crowd. It is always a tough game against Italy. We're going there wanting to win the game. 'We highlighted that (we are on an impressive run) in the pre-match talk, that we want to keep that run going and hopefully we can do that in Turin as well.' Phil Jones (left) says he was not surprised by Kane's impact on his England debut . Jones was solid at the back as England ran out comfortable winners at Wembley on Friday night .

Summary: Harry Kane scored on his England debut in 4-0 victory over Lithuania . 21-year-old striker netted fourth just 80 seconds after coming on . Team-mate Phil Jones says he expected nothing less from Kane .


Danna Gomez wields a mascara wand like a pro and knows the exact method for creating the illusion of high cheekbones - but this hot new YouTube star is only five years old. And the precocious make-up expert, from Colombia, is at the centre of a debate that such a young child should be offering beauty advice in online make-up tutorials. Not only does the little girl show how to apply eyeliner and foundation, she explains how to use contouring techniques to make noses appear slimmer. Scroll down for video . Five-year-old Danna Gomez has created a series of beauty tutorial videos, teaching her viewers how to apply make-up for special occasions including romantic Valentine's Day dinners . While some viewers have found the videos cute and rather amusing, others have criticised Danna's performance, claiming the videos are inappropriate for a girl so young . The Spanish-language videos see Danna imitating the popular beauty advice videos she's seen on the web, as she explains how to apply a range of products. With her mature delivery she has notched up millions of viewers with tutorials including how to apply special make up to celebrate a romantic occasion like Valentine's Day. But while Danna has won plenty of praise from those who found her performance cute, much criticism has come from others saying her videos are all part of the pressure for children to grow up too fast. One viewer, Miguel, said: 'Why can't we let our children be children, why do we have to rush them into being adults before they are ready?' You Know Who wrote that it was 'a perfect example of a sexualization of little innocent children'. Maki Rodriguez posted that real beauty doesn't come with paint on faces and that natural beauty is still the best. The criticism hasn't stopped Danna however, who enthusiastically explains to followers how to put on perfect and long-lasting make-up. Here wearing a dress inspired by Frozen's Princess Elsa, Danna shows viewers how to apply powder, adding that she'll also be applying it to her ears, and finishing off the look with a tiara . The response to Danna's video were reported in Zecasecas Online, which said, 'while many users find it charming, others disagree with a small girl putting on make-up and recording herself.' 'With a very natural niceness, the girl explains how to put on make up after putting on a base on the face, on the shadows, eye liner, the lip pencil and even a heart on the cheek. The article finishes: 'The post on Facebook has been shared over 150,000 times and many women say that she does her make-up better than they do, though lots of others disapprove of her putting on make-up so young." The tutorials were filmed by the five-year-old's aunt Denisse Gomez, who thought they were so cute she posted them online, where they quickly went viral on social media. She explained in a Facebook post that for Danna the make-up videos are just 'play' and she posted them with the permission of the little girl's

Summary: Danna Gomez, five, teaches viewers how to put on eyeliner and foundation . Filmed by her aunt in Colombia, the videos went viral on social media . Viewers have branded the videos featuring the child inappropriate .


There was no happy homecoming for Stuart McCall as he was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against bottom side Livingston in his first game in charge of Rangers. The former Light Blues player was named as the club's 14th manager earlier in the week and his tenure looked set to get off to the best possible start when Haris Vuckic fired Rangers into an early lead. But Livi hit back through Ibra Sekajja on the stroke of half-time to claim a point. Stuart McCall (right) gestures on the touchline during his first match in charge of Rangers . Rangers players look dejected after Livingston equalised in the Scottish Championship clash . Rangers had been hoping the arrival of McCall would add a much-needed spark to their Scottish Championship promotion push. And the new manager was welcomed into the dug-out by wild applause from an Ibrox crowd of 35,066. McCall made three changes from the side who were held to a home draw by Queen of the South in midweek. Youngster Tom Walsh was handed his first start and Kenny Miller and Sebastien Faure were added to the side. The supporters were cheering again after just nine minutes when Rangers surged into an early lead. Miller's short pass found Nicky Law and he burst forward before setting up Vuckic for a left-foot strike that nestled in the bottom corner. Rangers' Haris Vuckic opens the scoring for the hosts at Ibrox on Saturday . Vuckic (right) celebrates as the Light Blues take the lead in front of a crowd of 35,066 . It had been a bright start from the Light Blues but Livi were gradually allowed to impose themselves on the game. Danny Mullen's 20-yard drive fell just over the crossbar as the division's bottom side tried to haul themselves back into the game. Keaghan Jacobs then teed up Scott Pittman for a shot that deflected narrowly past the post. Rangers could have doubled their lead when the ball broke for Walsh but he hooked just over, before Darren McGregor nodded wide from Law's corner. Gers were left ruing those missed opportunities when Livi levelled on the stroke of half-time. Sekajja reacted quickly to bundle home the rebound after Craig Sives saw his shot crash off the post - then celebrated with a double backflip. Livingston's Ibra Sekajja (third right) puts the ball into the back of the net to draw the visitors level . Sekajja celebrates with an impressive double backflip in front of the home fans . The visitors almost found the back of the net again shortly after the restart, when Mullen unleashed a powerful low drive that fell just wide. Rangers did have the ball in the net after 63 minutes when Nicky Clark's header beat goalkeeper Darren Jamieson but the offside flag was quickly raised. Skipper Lee McCulloch then nodded over from Law's corner as the home side desperately tried to regain the advantage. And Miller was denied only by a great one-handed save as his point-blank header was swatted away by Jamieson. A defensive mix-up

Summary: Rangers could only manage a fourth consecutive draw on Saturday . Haris Vuckic put Rangers ahead in the Scottish Championship clash . But Ibra Sekajja equalised for the visitors on the stroke of half-time at Ibrox .


How did iron become scattered throughout Earth's 2,000-mile (3,200km) thick mantle more than four billion years ago? That's a question that has puzzled scientists, with most thinking asteroid impacts were the cause, but now a new theory has been presented - iron rain. By re-analysing the vapourisation point of iron, a study has determined that conditions on early Earth would have caused iron to rain down on the ground. Scientists in New Mexico have a new theory for the origin of Earth's iron. Research suggests iron would have turned into vapour when meteorites hit the young Earth, as shown in the artist's impression above. The vapour would then have drifted up in plumes, condensed and then rained down on the surface of our planet . The research was conducted with the Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The machine is the most powerful producer of pulses of electrical energy on Earth. By studying the shock pressure required to vapourise iron, they found the value was 40 per cent less than previously thought. Astrophysicists say this lower pressure - 507 gigapascals (GPa) compared to 887 GPa - was easily achieved during the latter stages of Earth's formation. 'Because planetary scientists always thought it was difficult to vapourise iron, they never thought of vapourisation as an important process during the formation of Earth and its core,' said principal investigator Dr Rick Kraus. The researchers created a target - consisting of an iron plate 0.008in (5mm) square and 200 microns thick - against which they launched aluminum flyer plates travelling up to 16 miles (25km) per second. At this impact pressure, the powerful shock waves created in the iron cause it to compress, heat up and vapourise. The results showed that the vapourisation threshold for iron is 40 per cent lower than previously thought. 'But with our experiments, we showed that it's very easy to impact-vapourise iron.' The result of this would have been that a solid piece of iron, after impacting Earth perhaps as part of an asteroid, would disperse into an iron vapour due to the force of the impact. Earth is thought to have been pummelled by asteroids during the Late Heavy Bombardment period, 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago. Forming clouds across the surface, the vapour would then rain down onto the ground and mix with the mantle, which was molten at the time. 'This changes the way we think of planet formation, in that instead of core formation occurring by iron sinking down to the growing Earth's core in large blobs (technically called diapirs), that iron was vapourised, spread out in a plume over the surface of Earth and rained out as small droplets,' said Dr Kraus. 'The small iron droplets mixed easily with the mantle, which changes our interpretation of the geochemical data we use to date the timing of Earth's core formation.' The research, which found iron vapourised at values 40 per cent lower than thought, was conducted with the Z machine (pictured) at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The machine is

Summary: Scientists in New Mexico have a new theory for origin on Earth's iron . Previously it was unclear how iron was scattered throughout the mantle . But research suggests the vapourisation point of iron is lower than thought . This means it would have turned into vapour when rocks hit early Earth . It would have drifted up in plumes and then rained down on the surface .


The English don’t actually care much for music,’ said Sir Thomas Beecham, the great 20th-century conductor and noted wit, ‘but they love the sound it makes!’ This week the sound that has filled our concert halls and all the spaces where music-lovers gather has been of loud cheering. When it was announced on Tuesday that Sir Simon Rattle will be coming home from Germany in 2017 to run the London Symphony Orchestra, whoops of delight could be heard all the way from London’s Barbican Centre, where the LSO play, to Menlove Avenue,Woolton, the middle-class suburb of Liverpool where Rattle was born 60 years ago. The most remarkable English classical musician since the celebrated Beecham, Rattle has scaled the highest peaks. Appointed CBE at the ripe old age of 32, he was knighted seven years later, and elected principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, the world’s most formidable orchestra, at 44. Conductor Sir Simon Rattle is to join London Symphony Orchestra as music director . In an age of overpaid footballers and gruesome shows like The X Factor, an age when the mediocre wear garlands tossed by dullards, here is a man who has truly earned his laurel crown. When he received the weighty badge of the Order of Merit last summer (‘Don’t try conducting with this thing on!’ the Queen told him at the investiture) it was formal recognition that he belonged to the best of the best. Now the man who conquered the world is coming home to join our leading orchestra and, what’s more, he sees his role not just as a conductor but as an ambassador, an educator, whose duty is to boost musical talent wherever he can. ‘Frankly,’ he says, ‘what goes on in the primary school is going to be just as important as what goes on in any concert hall.’ Knowing Rattle as I do, this was no throw-away remark. Talk of greatness is usually misplaced. There are never many truly great performers in any field. So when they do come along it is our duty to recognise the special gifts that lift them above the pack. We could call it the Federer distinction. Roger Federer is a great tennis player, perhaps the greatest; Andy Murray is merely very good. In the performing arts it can be difficult to describe what greatness looks like because, unlike in sport, there are no clear winners and losers. Over time, however, you have a sense of those who achieve it. Laurence Olivier, for instance, was a great actor. Rudolf Nureyev was a great dancer. Frank Sinatra was a great singer. And Sir Simon Rattle is unquestionably a great musician. Born on the same road in Liverpool as John Lennon, Rattle was at primary school when The Beatles took off like a rocket. No magical mystery tours for him, though. The Rattler, as he is known, was a bookish child, who played the piano and was later a percussionist in the National Youth Orchestra. ‘I tried to interest him in cricket and football’, said his father Denis, ‘but he always

Summary: Sir Simon Rattle to join the London Symphony Orchestra as music director . 60-year-old was born on the same road in Liverpool as John Lennon . By 15 formed his own proper orchestra that performed at charity event . Sees new role not just as a conductor but as ambassador and educator .


Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber is set to accompany Floyd Mayweather into his $300million Las Vegas mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao. The duo have been close friends for years and the 21-year-old performer has accompanied 'Money' into the ring on numerous occasions. He even joined the fighter on stage during a recent press conference ahead of the May 2 fight. Manny Pacquiao has been preparing for his battle with the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr in Las Vegas . Justin Bieber holds up a belt for Floyd Mayweather Jnr before taking on Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas . Bieber is joined by rapper Lil Wayne as they enter the ring before Mayweather Jnr took on Canelo Alvarez . Bieber and Mayweather Jnr pose after Cotto is defeated in the WBA super welterweight title fight in Las Vegas . Mayweather Jnr poses for photos with Bieber after defeating Alvarez in Las Vegas back in 2013 . Mayweather's fight with Pacquiao is being billed as the biggest fight in history and there had been questions as to whether Bieber would be forced to take a step back in Vegas. With a 47-0 record on the line, Mayweather knows this fight is without doubt the biggest of his career - and the most lucrative . However, Bieber confirmed in a video posted online that he will be part of Mayweather's entourage for the mega-fight, shouting 'hell yeah' when asked by reporters.

Summary: Canadian sensation Justin Bieber is a good friend of Floyd Mayweather . Bieber revealed in a video that he will walk Mayweather into his mega-fight . Mayweather faces Manny Pacquiao in the $300million bout in Las Vegas . Bieber has accompanied 'Money' Mayweather into the ring several times .


She's best friends with Kendall Jenner, has one of the most unique looks in the industry and is currently riding high as one of the most popular Victoria's Secret models. And 19-year-old Gigi Hadid, the Los Angeles-born blonde beauty, is quick becoming one of the biggest names in the fashion industry. From being named as the face of VSPink, to landing herself yet another campaign with American super-brand Guess, Gigi has been making serious waves in the modelling industry. Scroll down for video . 19-year-old Gigi Hadid who hails from Los Angeles is quickly becoming one of the top models in the world, having landed herself incredible campaigns and making a name for herself on the fashion scene . Of course, she has all the makings of a supermodel, and it's not just about her obvious good looks and jet-setting lifestyle. Gigi, of course, runs with a seriously cool crowd. As well as Kendall, she's often spotted hanging out with Cara Delevingne or partying with Justin Bieber. And she's already bagged herself the ultimate model accessory: a popstar boyfriend. Gigi has been dating Australian singer Cody Simpson on and off since 2013. And at the moment it looks like the pair are most definitely on. The aesthetically blessed young couple were spotted over the weekend hanging out at Miami beach kissing in the surf. Gigi is close friends with Kendall Jenner (left) and has already managed to bag herself a popstar boyfriend (right) in the shape of Australian singer Cody Simpson . Cody and Gigi showed off their beach bodies whilst enjoying a day out at Miami beach this weekend . Some might say that Gigi's modelling success has been a long time coming, as she first started working when she was just two years old when she was spotted by Paul Marciano of Guess. She took a break so she could study, but picked up her career again after school. At recent fashion weeks, she walked for brands such as Dolce and Gabanna, Sonia Rykiel and Tom Ford - quickly becoming one of the most recognisable faces on the runway. It was also recently announced that the young model is set to be the new face of beauty brand Maybelline. And Gigi's had the praise heaped on her by some of the fashion industries biggest names. Last year Carine Roitfeld, the infamous former editor of Vogue Paris told Style of the model: 'I was drawn to her right away because she was so different, and I love girls that are different—different from me, different from what everyone has seen before. 'I knew immediately that she was going to be a star.' And at the beginning of the year she was named 'Model of The Year,' at the Daily Front Row fashion awards. And good looks seem to run in the family as Gigi's younger sister Bella is also a model. Gigi looked incredible in a 70s style outfit on the cover of Vogue Spain, the model says that when she goes on jobs she always tries to work hard . When

Summary: The 19-year-old is fast becoming one of the best known faces in fashion . Has landed contracts with Victoria's Secret and Guess . Gigi counts Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne among best friends . The model is also dating Australian singer Cody Simpson . She faced controversy this week when she was accused of taking drugs . However, the model denied the allegations saying she was 'insulted'


Residents of rural communities could be forced to travel miles to their nearest bank after the biggest lenders refused to commit to never shut the ‘last bank in town’. After months of negotiation, the Government failed to secure the crucial agreement to protect customers, as bank bosses justify branch closures by stressing the soaring popularity of online banking. The High street banks have agreed to new industry-wide rules setting out a series of steps they must take before closing branches. Blame it on the internet: As they refuse to commit to never closing 'the last bank in town', bosses justify branch closures by stressing the soaring popularity of online banking . But critics say they do not go far enough and will allow lenders to shut hundreds of branches across the country – even when there is no other bank in the community. Under the new regime banks will have to consult with local communities before any branch closure and ensure there are alternatives for customers such as free cash machines, ‘mobile banking vans’, and a local Post Office where they can sort out their finances. Existing rules stipulate that they have to go through this process only if they are closing the last branch in a town or village. Banks also have to give 12 weeks’ notice before they shut a branch. Business secretary Vince Cable described the new ‘protocol’ as a ‘major step forward’ in ensuring those who do not bank online are ‘not left behind’. But last night Labour described the rules as another ‘nail in the coffin for the High street’, as all the major lenders have now ditched a previous commitment always to keep open the ‘last bank in town’. Vince Cable described the new ‘protocol’ as a ‘major step forward’ in ensuring those who do not bank online are ‘not left behind’ Lloyds became the last to do so in October, as it announced a three year plan to shut 200 branches and open 50. Efforts by Mr Cable to force banks to reinstate this commitment have been rejected and experts have warned that 978 branches around the country are now at risk. In total more than 500 branches are expected to be shut during the course of the year, with 210 closures announced so far. Of these 124 are the last branch in the community. For example, some 8,000 residents of Keynworth in Nottinghamshire have been left without a bank after the closure of their local NatWest branch earlier this year. and St Agnes in Cornwall has also lost its only branch after Barclays put down the shutters for the final time. There are now just over 9000 bank branches across the country, half the number of 25 years ago. Derek French from the Campaign for Community Banking said efforts by the coalition to beef up protection for consumers have failed. He said: . ‘The government is trying to gloss over the fact that in reality it has achieved nothing and will not prevent hundreds of branches from disappearing from Britain’s high streets. This is

Summary: Biggest lenders refused to commit to never shut ‘last bank in town’ Bank bosses are blaming branch closures on online banking . Vince Cable described the new ‘protocol’ as a ‘major step forward’


Patrick Strudwick had a tumour removed from his large intestine seven years ago, aged 30 . The question, at first glance, seems fairly simple: would you want to know your chances of getting cancer? In particular, whether you are carrying a faulty gene (or even several) that could make cancerous cells or a malignant tumour more likely. But when the opportunity arose to have genetic screening to find out if my DNA was flawed, this question merely triggered more: how would I cope if it turned out cancer was a near certainty? Though certain genetic tests are available on the NHS for people with a clear family history of a particular cancer — for example, if more than two members of your immediate family have had it — the private Spire Bushey Hospital, in Hertfordshire, has become the first to offer full screening for a range of cancers to people who may have had only one or two family members affected. Some genes they test for, in particular the faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2, have received a lot of publicity in recent years. Angelina Jolie discovered she carried a faulty copy of BRCA1, and singer Michelle Heaton found she had a mutated version of BRCA2. They opted for double mastectomies and hysterectomies to avoid the 60 to 90 per cent chance of developing cancer. But this new service screens for dozens of different genes linked to prostate, bowel, breast and ovarian cancers, which are among the most common in Britain, using ‘next generation’ gene technology to provide a full range of results within 12 weeks. There were various reasons why I decided to give it a go. Seven years ago, aged 30, I was lying in a hospital bed, heavily sedated after a colonoscopy to find the cause of months of abdominal pain, when my gastroenterologist delivered the news: . ‘We found an adenoma — a type of tumour — in your large intestine. It was about an inch long, but we managed to remove it.’ ‘OK,’ I replied from the fog of sedation. Though the tumour was benign, the doctor added: ‘The type means that it would likely have become malignant. Had we not removed this, you could have been dead by 40.’ Because such growths are rare for someone so young, I was told I would need to have colonoscopies every three years to (hopefully) catch any further abnormalities. Three years later, a scan found another polyp — smaller, benign, but still, more reason to worry. Another year on and I was lying in another bed, my own, when the telephone rang. ‘They found some cancerous cells,’ my father began. It was his prostate, a common cancer in older men (he was 67) and one with pretty good prospects for survival. But his uncle — my grandfather’s brother — had died of it. And my father’s tumour was one of the most aggressive kinds. He made a full recovery, but the worries lingered. Could there be a faulty prostate cancer gene on my father’s side? My mother was adopted and knows

Summary: Patrick Strudwick had an intestinal tumour removed seven years ago . Four years later his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer . Patrick had genetic screening that tests for different types of the disease . His results were returned normal but he will remain vigilant from now on .


Lewis Hamilton has spoken of the stresses and intense pressure of competing in Formula One as the world champion posed for the front cover of men's lifestyle magazine Man of the World. The Mercedes driver features in Issue 11 of the magazine hitting the shelves on March 24 as the 30-year-old opens up about his rags to riches story in an intimate interview. Hamilton became a double world champion last season as he drove to victory after an intense season-long battle with team-mate Nico Rosberg, to add to his 2008 success for McLaren. Lewis Hamilton features on the new issue of men's lifestyle magazine Man of the World, which will hit the shelves on March 24 . The double Formula One champion looks back through the rear windscreen as he poses for a picture in issue 11 of the magazine . Hamilton, pictured posing with his British bulldog Roscoe, opens up in an intimate interview in the new issue . The Mercedes driver discusses the intense pressure and stresses of racing in the Formula One championship . The former McLaren driver, styled by Adam Rogers and pictured by Cyrill Matter, poses with bulldog Roscoe . Hamilton and Mercedes got the new season off to the perfect start after the Briton won the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne last Sunday with Rosberg following him across the finish line in a close second as the team dominated the race weekend. During the interview with Spencer Morgan, Hamilton discussed the pressures that drivers have to contend. 'The thing with Formula One is, people perhaps struggle to understand what's going on inside of the driver. There's the stress of millions of people watching. 'You've got the pressure of the massive corporations sponsoring you. And then, on top of it, you put pressure on yourself, because you really want to succeed.' Hamilton celebrates his Australian GP win in front of second-placed Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel who completed the podium . World champion Hamilton stormed to victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix following a dominant performance . Nico Rosberg, who finished runner-up last year, kept Hamilton honest, but in truth he was no match for his Mercedes team-mate . VIDEO Hamilton cruises to victory in Australian GP . 'I want to empower young guys with the same belief I had instilled in me as a kid. Not everyone who gets beaten down by other people can overcome and use those experiences to get stronger.' With all the stresses that come with competing, Hamilton understands the need to relax and unwind during time off and so kits his homes in Colorado and Monaco out with a plethora of leisure activities. 'Of course you have to work, but I like to maximize every day, enjoy it, because you never know when it's your last. 'I'm very, very, very conscious of that, so I just like to make sure I enjoy the time I get, and I like to share it with people. That's why we have the Mega Zone. I like to share it with all my friends.'

Summary: Double world champions Lewis Hamilton features on the cover of lifestyle magazine Man of the World . The Mercedes driver opens up about his rags to riches story as he became a double Formula One champion . Issue 11 of the quarterly men's magazine will be hitting the shelves on March 24 . READ: Hamilton takes the wheel of a yacht on Sydney Harbour . CLICK HERE for all the latest news from the world of F1 .


Manuel Pellegrini believes that Manchester City’s season will not have been ‘a disaster’ even the Premier League champions fail to overhaul Chelsea in the title race. The City boss is under fire after seeing his team crash out of Europe to Barcelona for the second season in a row on Wednesday night. They must beat West Bromwich Albion at the Etihad this lunchtime (sat) to keep the pressure on Jose Mourinho’s side, who are six points clear with a game in hand, and stay clear of the chasing pack. Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that their season has not been a disaster . Pellegrini stands behind Barcelona boss Luis Enrique during their Champions League defeat on Wednesday . Ivan Rakitic (second left) scored the only goal of the game past Joe Hart as Barcelona won 1-0 . But Pellegrini said: ‘Second position in the whole year I don’t think is a disaster. We are not in eighth, ninth or 10th. Only Chelsea has done better than our team. ‘As I said to the players, we are still in this competition. We have nine games left and me must try to play well and do what we must for this team, which is to stay in second positon. 'And – I repeat – never give up, because in football anything can happen, so we will fight to retain the title to the end.’ Yaya Toure (left) has not recovered in time to face West Brom on Saturday after going off against Barcelona . City’s players were criticised for their lack of effort in last weekend’s defeat at Burnley but Pellegrini insisted that the buck stops with him. He added: ‘It will be my responsibility because I always choose the starting XI, I choose the squad and I choose the way we like to play.’ Asked if he still enjoyed the job, he replied: ‘Of course. Every day I enjoy it. If you cannot enjoy playing in the Champions League against Barcelona, fighting for title in the Premier League, being with this team, being in best league in world, you should go and see a doctor.’

Summary: Manuel Pellegrini accepts Manchester City could end season trophyless . Knocked out of Champions League in last-16 by Barcelona . Eight points behind Chelsea in Premier League with nine games left .


Budget supermarket chain Aldi is stepping it up a notch by launching of a new range of affordable motorcycle gear. The company reckons its £80 jacket and £60 trousers, made from 'high-standard' textile designed to protect against abrasion, are the cheapest in Britain. And they are certainly a bargain compared to the prices of brand leader Weise Avance, whose motorcycle jacket and jeans retail for £1,219.98 altogether - the jacket for £639.99 and trousers for £579.99. Aldi is launching of a new range of affordable motorcycle gear, with this whole outfit costing just £180 . The range of clothes that includes a trousers, boots for £29.99, motorcycle tank bags at a bargain £12.99 and gloves at £19.99, is sure to be snapped up in minutes when it's released on March 8. The store will also sell thermal under layers including a long-sleeved top and long johns. And not only are the clothes a much more affordable option for motorbiking enthusiasts, but they also passed the safety test with flying colours. The pass zone for the Level 2 impact abrasion test is seven seconds of abrasion resistance in body zones 1 and 2, which include the shoulders and elbows. Aldi's jacket and trousers exceed these requirements, achieving over 13 seconds of abrasion resistance across all four zones of the garment. John Chatterton-Ross, of Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the governing body for motorcycle racing, said: 'This is the first time I've seen a UK retailer selling a motorcycling jacket and trousers of this high standard at such low prices. Not only are the clothes an affordable option, but they also passed the safety test with flying colours. Pictured: High-standard textile jacket, £80 . 'The protection offered by Aldi's products exceeds the requirements for impact abrasion and impact cut resistance demanded by the European standard for zones 1 and 2 in all zones. 'Few products on the market can match this. Often, even in premium brands, it is only the protectors that are certified, not the rest of the garment. 'It is great to see that with Aldi's motorcycling jacket and trousers, safety does not have to come with a high price tag.' The motorcycling range comes after a whole host of specialist ranges launched by the supermarket - from Equestrian and fishing gear, to yoga and even ski clothing and accessories. And just last June, the chain even brought the world's most expensive beef, Wagyu, to its aisles at £6.99 for a sirloin steak. John Chatterton-Ross, of Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme it's 'the first time I've seen a UK retailer selling a motorcycling jacket and trousers of this high standard at such low prices.' Pictured: Gloves, £19.99 . Tony Baines of Aldi said of the new range: 'Whether shopping for everyday items or hobby equipment within our Specialbuys ranges, we are keen to offer something for everyone'. Pictured: Touring boots, £29.99 . Normally, luxury stores, gourmet butchers and food websites sell the beef for the equivalent of an eye-watering £100 per kilo - putting it out of reach for most families. The move

Summary: Aldi is launching super-cheap line of motorcycle gear on 8 March . Prices range from £12.99 for tank bags to £80 for a jacket . Last June, Aldi sold pricey Wagyu beef to the masses for £25 a kilo .


A £1billion tidal lagoon off the coast of south Wales will form the centrepiece of ambitious renewable energy plans to be unveiled today. George Osborne is set to use his Budget today to announce that the Government is beginning formal talks on funding the project to produce energy from turbines in Swansea Bay, south Wales. The scheme would be over an area of more than four square miles cordoned off by a breakwater, with power generated as the tides pass through turbines when going in and out. Scroll down for video . Construction: The project includes creating a six-mile sea reef, the reintroduction of the native oyster to Swansea Bay and an offshore visitor centre as well as national triathlon and water sports facilities . Below the surface: This graphic shows how the structure would generate energy at high tide, left, and low tide, right, meaning that water will flow through four times daily . Vast: The scheme would be over an area of more than four square miles of Swansea Bay in South Wales, creating a large tidal lagoon cordoned off by a huge breakwater . Artist's impression: Chancellor George Osborne is set to use his Budget today to announce a £1billion plan for the world's first tidal lagoon to generate electricity from turbines in Swansea Bay, south Wales . The Tidal Lagoon Power company will get the opportunity to discuss subsidies - which are expected to have to be about £150 per megawatt hour, reported The Guardian. Controversially, this is far greater than the subsidy of up to £92.50 per MWh agreed for the planned Somerset nuclear plant Hinkley Point C - and triple the wholesale electricity prices of £50 per MWh. But the Department of Energy and Climate Change is said to have been reassured that if a prototype can be built in Wales, it will be possible to launch the concept more cheaply elsewhere. The Swansea Bay scheme would need a six-mile sea wall up to 65ft high - although only half of this would be noticeable from land at low tide, according to Tidal Lagoon Power. Budget announcement: Mr Osborne (file picture) is expected to reveal that the Government is beginning formal talks on funding the project to produce energy from turbines in Swansea Bay . Other project: The Tidal Lagoon Power company will get the opportunity to discuss subsidies - which are expected to have to be about £150 per megawatt hour. Controversially, this is far greater than the £98 per MWh subsidy agreed for the planned Somerset nuclear plant Hinkley Point C (above, artist's impression) The wall would create a lagoon in the Severn Estuary with turbines that could harness the incoming and outgoing tides to generate power 14 hours a day. The developers say the project, along with four others, could meet 10 per cent of our electricity needs from the tides by 2023. The six-mile wall around Swansea Bay complete with turbines could generate electricity 14 hours a day. Tidal Lagoon Power believes the project will boost a UK supply chain and create

Summary: Government to begin formal talks on funding Swansea Bay energy project . Scheme would be over area of four sq miles cordoned off by a breakwater . Power generated as tides pass through turbines when going in and out .


Scott Kelly and his girlfriend will be giving a whole new meaning to the term 'long-distance relationship' when he sets off for a 12-month trip to the International Space Station on Saturday. 'For me it's like the most romantic long-distance relationship ever,' the NASA astronaut's girlfriend of five years, Amiko Kauderer, told ABC News. Kelly, who has spent a total of six months away from Kauderer on previous trips to space, will be able to call her whenever he likes and will be able to video chat once a week. But they both know what they'll miss. Scroll down for video . Long distance relationship: Astronaut Scott Kelly will leave for the International Space Station for a 12-month mission on March 28, leaving his girlfriend of five years, Amiko Kauderer, right, behind on Earth . Mission: The couple, pictured, said it will be tough but that they know it is for a greater good . 'It's the human touch thing,' she told WFMY. 'We get to connect on phone calls. We get to have our face conference. I can upload videos. But you can't upload human touch.' Kauderer, 41, works in NASA's public affairs department in Webster, Texas; she has been with the agency since 1998. Last year the fitness fanatic tried out to become a Houston Texans cheerleader, but failed to make the squad. Scott, 51, who has two young daughters from a previous relationship, said he will miss food on Earth as well as 'the rain, the breeze, the change of seasons'. But 'most of my concerns with this flight, being gone for a year, is the stuff that can happen to people on Earth while I'm gone,' he told CBS Sunday Morning. Still, the couple say they are more excited about Kelly's return home and what his record-breaking trip will achieve. 'We kind of really appreciate challenge and things that are hard, because we often know at the end of it, that you can kind of go, "Yeah, we DID that," you know?' Kauderer said. 'And the homecoming's really good after a year,' Kelly quipped. Left behind: Speaking from their Houston, Texas home, the couple agreed they would miss human touch during the 12 months apart but were already looking forward to the homecoming . Family: Kelly said he also worries about being away from his two daughters from a previous marriage . Kelly, together with Russians Mikhail Kornienko and Gennady Padalka, will launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the early hours of Saturday. The trip will test how the human body copes with prolonged space travel by comparing Kelly's health to that of his identical twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who will remain on Earth. Called the Nasa Twin Study, the Kellys will be subjected to 10 experiments in four areas: human physiology, behavioral health, microbiology and molecular. 'Maybe there is a little cliff out there that you fall off with regards to the radiation, bone mass, bone density, those type of things, so, I am all in,' Mark told ABC News. Still, Mark, who is

Summary: Scott Kelly will leave Earth on Saturday for a 12-month trip to the International Space Station with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko . He will undergo tests to compare his health to that of his twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, to see the effects of space on the body . But he will be leaving behind his girlfriend of five years, 41-year-old Amiko Kauderer, who works in NASA's public affairs department . They said they'll miss human touch but know the mission is for the greater good - and said they are already looking forward to the homecoming .


Joe Hockey claims an article caused his family great distress, describing the moment his 'elderly and frail' father broke down in tears whilst speaking at a court appearance. The Liberal Politician told the Federal Court that he was 'devastated' when he saw the headline 'Treasurer for Sale' splashed across the front page of a major Fairfax newspaper. He said the headlines had caused his own family - including his elderly father - to question him. 'I was most concerned for my wife, and my children, and for my father,' he told the court, glancing out to the body of the courtroom, where his wife Melissa Babbage sat staring straight ahead, her heels crossed. 'A few days later my daughter asked me whether someone was trying to buy me,' Mr Hockey said. Scroll down for video . Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey (right) arrives at Federal Court with his wife Melissa Babbage (left) to give evidence in his defamation case against Fairfax Media . Sydney Morning Herald Editor in Chief Darren Goodsir outside the Federal Court at Joe Hockey's defamation case against Fairfax Media . Joe Hockey, pictured with his family, claimed his young daughter asked him 'whether someone was trying to buy me' 'The only thing you walk out of politics with is your reputation,' he continued. 'If, in the eyes of your own family, as there was in the phone call with my father, there's a doubt - a brief doubt - then what have you got?' 'He broke down in tears when I called him,' Mr Hockey claimed. Mr Hockey entered the witness box in Sydney on Monday afternoon to testify in his high-profile defamation suit against the publishing giant. The court action centres on stories run in Fairfax Media's flagship newspapers The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age last year under the headline 'Treasurer for Sale'. The Canberra Times used another headline. The stories examined a political fundraising body in Mr Hockey's electorate known as the North Sydney Forum, where members who paid an annual fee were able to meet with the treasurer at special events. Joe Hockey, pictured with his wife Melissa Babbage, revealed the distress an article caused his family whilst appearing in court on Monday . Mr Hockey has told the court he first became aware of the articles when he received a phone call from his press secretary shortly after midnight on May 5, 2014. When he awoke a few hours later he headed straight for his local newsagency in Canberra. 'I saw the front pages, I was stunned. And Matt the newsagent said, 'What's all this about?' I just shook my head,' Mr Hockey said. 'I went across to the bakery for one of their very ordinary cups of coffee and looked around, and the papers were everywhere.' Under questioning by his barrister Bruce McClintock SC, Mr Hockey said he felt 'absolutely devastated' at the suggestion he was corrupt. Earlier on Monday Mr Hockey's lawyers alleged that Fairfax published 'scurrilous and false allegations' against the treasurer in an act of petty spite. Mr Hockey's lawyers

Summary: Joe Hockey has testified as part of defamation suit against Fairfax media . He appeared at the Federal Court on Monday and claimed that the article caused his family great distress, even making his elderly father cry . The court action centres on stories run by Fairfax Media under the headline 'Treasurer for sale' Mr Hockey claims that there was a 'clear allegation of corruption' within the North Sydney Forum, a political fundraising party in his electorate .


A late Lukas Podolski strike from an Andre Schurrle cross saved Germany from back-to-back home defeats by Australia at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern. Podolski rescued the World Cup champions nine minutes from time with his 48th goal for his country as he combined with his fellow substitute and former Premier League outcast. The Socceroos' last visit to Germany in 2011 ended in a 2-1 shock loss for the hosts in Monchengladbach and it looked to be going that way again for much of the second half when captain Mile Jedinak gave his side the lead with a sensational curling free-kick. Lukas Podolski celebrates scoring the 81st-minute equaliser for Germany against Australia . Podolski got on the end of a cross from fellow substitute Andre Schurrle to level things up . The German side appear relieved as they avoid a second home defeat by Australia in a row . Germany: Zieler, Mustafi, Howedes, Badstuber (Rudy 46mins), Bellarabi (Schurrle 64), Khedira (Kramer 63), Gundogan, Hector, Ozil, Reus (Kruse 73), Gotze (Podolski 73) Subs not used: Weidenfeller, Boateng, Hummels, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Schurrle . Goals: Reus 17, Podolski 81 . Australia: Ryan, Franjic, Wilkinson (Wright 78), Devere, Davidson, Jedinak, Milligan (Mooy 69), McKay (Bozanic 77), Burns (Oar 61), Leckie, Troisi (Juric 87) Subs not used: Federici, Behich, Elrich, Ikonomidis . Goals: Troisi 40, Jedinak 50 . Marco Reus gave Germany the lead in the 17th minute when he met the Sami Khedira cross zipped across the face of goal. James Troisi hit back for the recently crowned Asian Cup champions with a header from Nathan Burns' pinpoint cross. Then, five minutes into the second half, Crystal Palace stalwart and Socceroos captain nailed a perfect curling free-kick that left German keeper Ron-Robert Zieler flailing and in the back of his own net with the ball. History was on the visitors' side at this stadium. It was here that Australia made history with their first goal and first win in a World Cup when they beat Japan 3-1 in 2006. Their star striker Tim Cahill, who scored a double that night, was out injured here after being instrumental in delivering Australia's first major trophy win after beating South Korea in extra-time in January. Before kick-off, Real Madrid's Toni Kroos was given the 2014 Germany Player of the Year award but he wasn't required off the bench where at full time he had some star-studded company among the unused subs in Jerome Boateng, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels. Germany's Marco Reus finds the back of the net with his studs to give the hosts a 17th-minute lead . Reus gets on the end of a powerfully struck pass across goal from Sami Khedira to make it 1-0 . Germany's celebration is low key as they take the lead over Australia, the Asian Cup champions . The Socceroos' James Troisi gets in front of his man Jonas Hector to equalise for the visitors . Troisi makes a beeline for Nathan Burns, the man who provided the pinpoint cross from the left . The Australians celebrate as the

Summary: Marco Reus gave Germany the lead inside 20 minutes . James Troisi equalised with a header from Nathan Burns' cross . Mile Jedinak's free-kick gave Australia the lead in the 50th minute . Lukas Podolksi brought it back level meeting ball from Andre Schurrle . A minute's silence before the match in tribute to Germanwings tragedy .


A university student who went on the rampage with a knife on a busy underground train killing four people and injuring more than 20 others has been sentenced to death. The New Taipei District Court in Taiwan sentenced 21-year-old Cheng Chieh 24 death sentences, one for each of his victims, for the rush-hour attack on a commuter train in the capital Taipei in May last year. The ruling also deprived Cheng of his civil rights for the rest of his life. Death sentece: University student Cheng Chieh who went on the rampage with a knife on an underground train killing four people . Cheng Chieh used a 10-centimetre knife to slash passengers in the chest and stomach, in some cases as they slept, whilst travelling in a carriage on the metro system's longest stretch between two stations, the court heard. He was subdued by police and metro staff after the train pulled into its next station. He had complained when interviewed about having too much stress in his life and said he wanted to get the death penalty, but also wanted to do something big before he died. Cheng was set to obtain a master's degree in business administration and international business from NCKU university in Tainan City this summer. When the attack took place, he was in Taipei for a job interview. He has the right to appeal the verdict but even his parents called for him to be sentenced to death for the attack that also left 22 people injured. Bloodbath: People battle to stop the bleeding as victims lie on the floor of carriages on the underground in Taipei. Student Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death for the killings . Appearing in court, Cheng showed no reaction when his sentences were announced. Family members of the deceased who were present in court also welcomed the verdict, saying that giving Cheng the death penalty met public expectations. Cheng's father Feng agreed, saying: 'Although he is our child, the crime he committed is unforgivable. 'He should be sentenced to death and face it himself. Only by so doing may the pains inflicted on the victims and the wounded and their families be slightly eased. Guilty: Cheng Chieh who went on a knife rampage on the underground in Taipei which left four people dead and scores more injured . Victim: A commuter lies dead on the underground with an umbrella still by his hand. Student Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death in Taiwan . Bloody carriages: Horrific scenes from busy underground in Taipei following knife rampage which left four dead. Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death for four murders and injuring 22 others . He urged judges to carry out the sentence as soon as possible saying: 'We hope Cheng Chieh can act in a correct manner during his next life.' He also said that an apology was meaningless and could not ease his pain. He said he can only hope that there will be no recurrences of such an incident in Taiwan. Court spokeswoman Lien Yu-chyun said the

Summary: Wounded 22 passengers in bloody rampage on tube's longest stretch . Used three-inch fruit knife to slash passengers in the chest and stomach . Even Cheng Chieh's parents called for him to be given death sentence . Business administration student was in Taipei for a job interview . Told authorities the stabbings felt 'like slicing tofu'


New Zealand seamer Trent Boult is not taking the threat of Bangladesh lightly as his side look to keep building momentum for the World Cup knockout phase. The tournament co-hosts have won their opening five matches and are guaranteed to finish top of Pool A, regardless of their result against the Tigers at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Yet the Black Caps will want to end the pool with a flourish and enter their quarter-final in the best possible frame of mind. Trent Boult, who has taken 13 wickets already this World Cup, appeals successfully for an lbw decision . On home soil, they have won all six of their previous one-day international meetings against Bangladesh but it is the Asian side that triumphed 3-0 when the teams last met on the subcontinent in late 2013. Boult told New Zealand Cricket's official website: 'Success is there for us when we are playing them in their own backyard but when we have travelled there we have struggled a little bit. 'They are full of some world class players and we know that they will be a tough candidate come Friday night.' New Zealand have won all five games so far, including beating co-hosts Australia, to secure top spot in Pool B . Boult has played a starring role in New Zealand's stellar start to the tournament with 13 wickets in five matches, including a spectacular five-for against Australia. It is quite an achievement for the 25-year-old, who had made just 16 ODI appearances before the tournament got under way. 'The success that we have been having has been pretty special and [this World Cup] is something that I will look back on and be really proud of,' he added. 'I am sure that I speak for the majority of the group there as well. A World Cup in my home country, it's not hard to get motivated for that.' Boult and the Black Caps attack have been unstoppable, but he says they won't take Bangladesh lightly . Another pillar of New Zealand's success has been the largely excellent starts they have made to their batting, thanks to opener Brendon McCullum's masterclass in power hitting. The Black Caps captain has made 249 runs at an average of just under 50 in his five matches and his staggering strike rate of 193.02 has laid the foundations for his side. Bangladesh spin bowling coach Ruwan Kalpage has admitted they have options to try and stifle McCullum. Bangladesh are already into the quarter finals after beating England on Monday to get out of the Pool stage . 'He has not had to start against spinners,' Kalpage told Cricinfo. 'It will be tough for us but we have plans for him as well. I'm pretty sure it will help the spinners.' The Tigers proved they were not among the also rans of the tournament by beating England to book their place in the quarter-finals and could finish as high as second in the pool if they win on Friday and Scotland record a shock win against Australia. The Tigers

Summary: New Zealand have won all five of their matches so far in home tournament . But Black Caps lost 3-0 when they played Bangladesh away in 2013 . Bangladesh are into quarter finals after beating England this week .


Extraordinary footage has surfaced of Simon Ata, a Melbourne based break-dancing instructor whose gravity defying manoeuvres have made him a YouTube sensation. In his incredible newest clip, the staggeringly strong Melbournite manoeuvers himself in a vertical 180 degree rotation, casting the illusion he is walking in a circle. In another segment he pulls off one of his trademark moves, an eye-popping vertical push-up done on one hand. Break dancing instructor Simon Ata displays his eye-popping strength in a new YouTube video . Mr Ata told Daily Mail Australia the video was filmed over four sessions within a fortnight, and edited by his friend Dave Chea. ‘We had a list of moves we wanted to include but the sequence was pretty spontaneous,' he said. The trained dancer strategically altered his routine leading up to the newest clip. ‘I’ve been focussing on strength training lately and cutting back on the breakdancing. This meant I could break a longstanding plateau,’ he said. The video, titled 'Simonster Strength 2.0', has garnered over 50,000 views since being uploaded to YouTube this week. The trained dancer strategically altered his routine leading up to the clip, focussing on building his strength . The trained dancer said he mixes up his training every week to keep it from feeling repetitive . Mr Ata said he changes his training from week to week in order to evade feelings of monotony. ‘I believe fitness should never feel like a chore.’ Mr Ata believes that his mode of callisthenics -bodyweight strength training-is rapidly gaining traction in mainstream society. ‘I’ve noticed a huge difference even in the last few years, noticing more and more people training this way.’ When asked what advice he offered to those who wanted to pursue a similar path, Mr Ata said . ‘There's no substitute for hard work.’ You can see Simon Ata's official YouTube channel here .

Summary: The 24-year-old Melbournite uploaded his newest YouTube clip this week . The vision was captured over a fortnight in four different sessions . Titled 'Simonster Strength 2.0,' the clip already has 50,000 views .


Conor McGregor grabbed Jose Aldo's belt in front of 5,000 screaming fans on Tuesday night after the UFC featherweight champion declared himself the King of Dublin. On the last stop of an eight-city, three-continent world tour, the challenger revelled in being back in his home city to promote the Las Vegas showdown on July 11. And the friction between the warring pair could lead to a staggering 1 million pay per view buys and a gate of $7m (£4.7m) at the MGM Grand. Conor McGregor grabbed Jose Aldo's belt in front of 5,000 screaming fans on Tuesday night . McGregor, UFC featherweight champion, declared himself the King of Dublin . All appears calm as Aldo (left) and McGregor are paraded on stage in the Irish capital . UFC president Dana White - wearing an Ireland football shirt - steps in as tempers flare onstage . UFC president Dana White, who was wearing an Ireland football shirt, stepped in to prevent the showdown . And after Aldo's taunt in the Irish capital, McGregor said: 'Him? You're looking at the king of Dublin,' before grabbing the belt. UFC president Dana White, who was wearing an Ireland football shirt, stepped in to prevent the featherweight showdown breaking out 14 weeks early as Aldo shouted obscenities in Portuguese while the crowd erupted. Both fighters answered questions from the rather biased crowd before facing off for one final time before they meet again in the summer. McGregor also revealed his plans for a feature-length film of his life following the success of his television show Notorious. 'I’m proud of that show, that wasn’t for nothing. I had full creative control of the show,' he said. 'I want a feature film now, two-and-a-half hours. I want it in cinemas all over the world, finishing my story. 'Long after I’m gone, my story will still be told. White smirks as McGregor hurls a tirade in the direction of his bemused Brazilian opponent . The pair continue to exchange views in a frank fashion in front of 5,000 spectators and the world's media . Aldo has not been beaten for 10 years and has made eight successful defences of his title, but McGregor has no doubt that his reign will soon be over. 'I will hit him, I’m not trying to sell nothing, I’m trying to kill him. It’s not a joke, it’s not an act,' he added. 'I want it, he doesn’t. He doesn’t want to hold onto that belt, it’s a mental sign, I’ve learned he does not want me near him. 'He’s never seen anyone like me. Now I’m here, now he’s keeping quiet. 'He’s banged up badly after every fight. There’s only so much the brain can take when you meet someone like me. He has been through the wars; I don’t have a scratch.'

Summary: McGregor played to the 5,000-strong partisan crowd as the pair clashed at a press conference in Dublin . The Brazilian claimed he was the 'king of Dublin' before McGregor grabbed Aldo's UFC featherweight belt with the tension visible between the duo . McGregor's move prompted a burst of blue language from Aldo in Portuguese and the pair almost went to work 14 weeks before their fight . The pair meet in Las Vegas on July 11 at the MGM Grand .


Tapping away on a laptop or tablet may be a handy way of recording your thoughts, but there is something satisfying about scribbling away on paper - especially if you're drawing a picture. Now there’s a notebook that allows people to write in it with a pen, then digitise the notes and save them to the cloud, using just a smartphone app. When the Rocketbook is full, users heat the book in a microwave to clean the pages so they can begin to fill them again. Take note! A notebook (pictured) allows people to write in it with a pen, then digitise the notes and save them to the cloud, using just a smartphone app . Joe Lemay, of Cambridge Massachusetts, is raising money on crowd funding site Indiegogo to put the book into production. The notebook and app will work together to enable notes and drawings to be uploaded to the cloud, where they can be stored. The notebook is the size of a traditional sheet of paper and is compatible with any pen, but by using Pilot FriXion pens, notes can be erased by heating the book in a microwave. Organised: There are seven icons on each page, described as the ‘magic buttons’ used to organise notes in the cloud. ‘You assign each icon to the place of your choice, any folder inside Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs (illustrated) or your email address,’ the company said, so they can easily be found in the cloud . Write on! When the Rocketbook is full of ideas (pictured), users will be able to heat in a microwave to clean the pages. People will be able to use the accompanying free app to ‘accurately and quickly’ convert handwritten notes and drawings into digital images . Using image capturing technology, the Rocketbook app will be able to ‘accurately and quickly convert’ handwritten notes and drawings into digital images. It will then store written information in predetermined cloud locations using seven icons on the pages. The app will be available for Apple iOS and Android and will come free with any notebook. It will also be able to be used to scan any piece of paper but performance in deciphering the information and storing it may be limited. Instead of the usual lined pages, the sheets in the Rocketbook have a dot grid pattern ‘that allows for true creativity and are great for writing text notes, sketches, and designs,’ according to the firm. There are seven icons at the bottom of each page, described as the ‘magic buttons’ which can be used to organise notes in the cloud. ‘You assign each icon to the place of your choice, any folder inside Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs, or your email address,’ the company said. ‘When you mark that icon on your page, Rocketbook automatically files your notes in the right place.’ People will be able to use the accompanying free app to ‘accurately and quickly’ convert handwritten notes and drawings into digital images. Easy: The notebook is the size of a traditional sheet of paper and is compatible

Summary: People write in the book using a pen and transfer scribblings to the cloud . This will be possible thanks to a free app using image recognition . Each page of the book seven icons to allow musing to be organised online . Writing with a FriXion pen in the Rocketbook can be erased in a microwave . Notebook can be pre-ordered on Indiegogo for $25 (£17 plus shipping)


The mother of a two-year-old who is allergic to the sun wants her daughter's condition to be recognised as a disability. Monroe Mills has two rare skin conditions, photo-aggravated eczema and solar urticaria, which cause her to break out in painful welts when she spends just seconds in direct sunlight. But it is not just the outside of Monroe that suffers when she is exposed, it is her insides too. Scroll down for video . Monroe Mills has two rare skin conditions, which cause her to break out in painful welts. When she does, the only way to soothe her is to wrap her up in bandages (pictured above with her doll also named Monroe) Monroe, 2, has suffered from the condition since she was born. She is pictured on the right with her late cat, Marley . Mother Sarah Mills, from Nambucca Heads on New South Wales' mid-north coast, told Daily Mail Australia her daughter gets headaches and stomach pains along with becoming lethargic and dizzy. 'A GP just told us she gets [the symptoms] outside as well as inside her body,' the 28-year-old said. To help prevent this from happening, Monroe wears a head-to-toe bodysuit to cover up as well as slathering on sunscreen and zinc, and wearing a hat and sunglasses. Ms Mills said it was mission for the family to go shopping or to the doctor's, and lately the two-year-old's reactions had become so severe that they have had to start carrying around an epipen. Mother Sarah Mills (pictured left with her son, Hendrix, and Monroe) is fighting to have daughter's conditions recognised as a disability . Exposure to the sun causes painful welts and means Monroe spends most of the night awake. Ms Mills said she averages four hours sleep on 'a good night' The flare-ups could also be caused by fluoroscent lights inside shopping centres . She said Monroe's flare-ups could happen any time her daughter stepped into the sunlight. She could be outside for 20 seconds or just a matter of minutes before she would break out. 'We just remain as indoors as much as humanly possibly,' Mr Monroe said. 'We run into the shops as fast as we can from the car. 'If we wanted to go shopping, she’d have a flare up from the fluorescent lights.' When Monroe's skin does break out in welts, the only way to soothe her is to put her in a bleach bath, apply steroid creams, and then wrap her in wet and dry layers of bandages. This happens so often now that the little girl becomes distraught when she sees her mother getting out any type of cream. 'She's become extremely scared of creams. When she sees the sunscreen or steroid creams come out she starts crying,' Ms Mills told Daily Mail Australia. 'She's had enough of being creamed up 24 hours a day. At night, she breaks down and starts crying because she's so itchy and in pain.' The two-year-old's brother, Hendrix (pictured on the left), has autism. Ms Mills recently had to quit her job

Summary: Toddler Monroe Mills, 2, has photo-aggravated eczema and solar urticaria . The skin conditions means she breaks out in painful welts when in sunlight . Her life is full of applying creams 24 hours a day to control her flare-ups . Mother says she averages four hours of sleep a night to care for Monroe . Sarah Mills, 28, is now fighting for Monroe's conditions to be recognised . She wants the conditions to be disabilities to help pay for medical costs .


A female comedy trio's hilarious re-enactment of Wayne's World's lip-synching scene in their car to classic rock song Bohemian Rhapsody has become a social media sensation. The sexy Sydney sheilas -Shae-Lee, Lana and Madison, otherwise known as SketchShe, caught the attention of people around the globe with the ‘Bohemian Carsody’ video. The parody has even reached Brian May, the lead guitarist with famous rock band Queen who originally recorded the epic song in 1975, who shared the video on his Facebook page much to the delight of the laughable ladies. Scroll down for video . Shae-Lee (left), Lana (right) and Madison (centre) - havecaught the attention of people around the globe with ‘Bohemian Carsody’ video . The trio - known as SketchShe - only took them a day to film the video on an iPhone resting on the dashboard . The cute comedians couldn't wait to tell their fans on their Facebook page about the news that such a legendary musician deemed their video worthy enough to share with his 500,000 die hard fans. 'OK so we are absolutely besides ourselves! LEGENDARY Queen guitarist Brian May has just shared our video!!! How incredible!' the post said. 'Thanks for inspiring us Brian. Maybe you can teach us a thing or two for our next air guitar session? We love you! #RockOn.' . The sizzling hot trio gave it their all with their comical facial expressions, choreography and all round ridiculousness. One of the funniest parts of the skit is when grab the wild women grab hold of their breasts every single time the line 'mama mia' is sung - which is copious times through the track. The sexy Sydney sheilas have only known each other for a year and been working together for six months . Madison, (left) Shae-Lee (centre) and Lana (right) are already planning their next rocking-out road trip . The sizzling hot trio gave it their all with their comical facial expressions, choreography and all round ridiculousness . Also, the video is a slightly more aesthetically pleasing headbanging car session compared to the original version by the very uncool and nerdy Wayne and his bestie Garth in the 1992 blockbuster movie Wayne's World. Shae-Lee (the brunette in the driver's seat) and Lana (the blonde in front passenger's seat) became friends four years ago and met Madison about 12months ago - and it has only been in the last six months that they have started seriously producing comedy together. The girls began filming skits in their car with an iPhone on the dashboard just before Christmas when they didn't have their 'usual crew' around to help out like they did with more highly-produced material they have previously done. ‘Bohemian Carsody’ was put together in just one day last week. 'We only did it in three takes - it was getting hot and sweaty in the little Suzuki Swift,' Madison, who features in the red dress in the backseat, told Daily Mail Australia. 'Plus there was too much head banging going on - our necks were getting a bit sore.' The cute

Summary: Aussie female trio SketchShe creates hilarious ‘Bohemian Carsody’ video . Shae-Lee, Lana and Madison re-enact Wayne's World version in their car . Sexy Sydney sheilas have become an online sensation with the parody . Even Brian May shared the video featuring the song from his band - Queen . Cute comedians have only been performing together for six months .


First-time buyers are being pushed out of the housing market by the rise of ‘granlords’, say experts. A recent buy-to-let boom has been partly driven by retired Britons looking to invest in property. And estate agents say the interest from older investors in property is putting an even greater strain on Britain’s limited housing stock. Retirees have increasingly turned to buy-to-let to get a better return on their savings at a time when banks are offering the worst interest rates on record. First-time buyers are being pushed out of the housing market by the rise of so-called 'granlords' who are looking to invest their pensions in property, experts have warned (file picture) The industry is now predicting that even more ‘granlords’ will buy homes to rent out from April, when reforms make it easier for the over-55s to cash in their pensions. This is likely to drive up prices even further at the lower end of the market, making modest, first-time properties even more unaffordable for young buyers who are trying to take their first step on the property ladder. Miles Shipside, of property website Rightmove, said: ‘While many pension pots may not fund a sufficiently large tax-free lump sum to facilitate a property purchase, for some it will provide enough for a deposit. ‘Agents report a high level of interest from “granlords” – new landlords who are typically first-time, retirement-age, buy-to-let investors.’ David Blythman, of Scottfraser estate agent, Oxfordshire, said: ‘Since the beginning of the year there has been no let-up in demand for properties across Oxfordshire and our investment search division are now receiving a significant uplift in enquiries including many from ‘granlords’ - first time, retirement age, buy-to-let investors diversifying their pension investments. ‘We foresee these buyers having a positive impact on the quality of the private rental sector as they have no intention of squandering their hard earned funds on anything other than the best properties.’ Estate agents say the interest from older investors is putting an even greater strain on Britain’s limited housing stock (file picture) Britain is in the middle of a buy-to-let boom as middle-income ‘amateur’ landlords invest in property. Thousands of middle-class families fed up with rock-bottom interest rates are making their first foray into the renting market. The value of buy-to-let mortgages on new purchases rose by 34 per cent to £11.6billion between January and November last year. The number of landlords taking out mortgages on new purchases in the UK also grew by 21 per cent to 93,970 between January and November 2014 - with 8,500 handed out every month. Ken Hume, of James Alexander estate agents in Norbury, South West London, said: ‘We’ve had enquiries from a number of older people considering buy-to-let, with interest expressed particularly in smaller flats where yields are higher.’

Summary: Recent boom partly driven by retirees wanting better return on savings . Estate agents say it puts greater strain on Britain's limited housing stock . Industry predicts even more will buy modest homes to rent out from April . New reforms will make it easier for over-55s to cash in on their pensions .


Real Madrid were beaten 1-0 by Athletic Bilbao at San Mames on Saturday meaning if Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano Sunday lunchtime they will move to the top of La Liga. Gareth Bale hit the post from 50 yards out but it was the closest Carlo Ancelotti’s team came as an Aritz Aduriz header in the first half was enough to give Athletic a famous victory that could seriously derail Real Madrid’s title charge. They started brightly enough with Karim Benzema swapping passes with Marcelo and crossing for Ronaldo, only for Xabier Etxieta’s clearance to stop the ball reaching Madrid’s top scorer. Aritz Aduriz (right) leads the celebrations with his Athletic Bilbao team-mates after putting them ahead with a tremendous header . The Bilbao players wheel away to celebrate with their supporters having taken the lead against Madrid . Karim Benzema (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo look on as the Bilbao team celebrate scoring in the first half . Carlo Ancelotti (right) saw his team dominate possession but struggle to break down Bilbao's defensive display . Aduriz (left) challenges Toni Kroos for possession in a stubborn defensive display from Bilbao at the San Memes . Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, Iraola, Balenziaga, Etxeita, Gurpegui, Benat, Mikel Rico (toquero, 91), De Marcos, Muniain (Susaeta, 64) Aduriz, Williams (Fernandez Hierro, 75). Subs not used: Aurtenetxe, Gomez, Remiro Gargallo, Lopez Cabrera . Bookings: Gurpegi, Etxeita, Aduriz . Goal: Aduriz, 26. Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Illarramendi (Jese, 71), Isco, Kroos (Borges, 76), Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema (Hernandez, 80). Subs not used: Coentrao, Khedira, Navas, Nacho. Bookings: Marcelo, Illaremedi, Kroos, Isco. Att: 51,000 . Athletic had been on a good run with two league wins and a cup semi-final victory and they were soon into their stride with forwards Iñaki Williams and Aduriz stretching a Madrid defence under-protected by a midfield still missing Luka Modric who will not be back until midweek in the Champions League. When Athletic’s goal came it was that midfield weakness that created the opening. Mikel Rico had all the time and space he wanted to cross for Aduriz and the on-form centre-forward rose to head home his 18th goal of the season. Isco should have got across to Rico more quickly. Pepe might also be disappointed he was beaten so easily by Aduriz in the air, but the Athletic striker, who scored twice in midweek to put Athletic in the Cup Final, is on such good form that there is talk of a Spain call-up despite his 34 years. He hung for a moment in the air having got in front of the Real Madrid defender and powered his header past Iker Casillas. Real looked disjointed all over the pitch. Toni Kroos kicked-out at Andoni Iraola and was booked and Asier Illaramendi was yellow carded shortly afterwards for a foul on Iker Muniain. Athletic also had Aduriz and Etxeita booked but they were keeping their heads and their shape better than their rivals. Madrid raised the tempo in the second half and Bale lead the assault on Athletic’s goal. When he tricked his way

Summary: Aritz Aduriz put Athletic Bilbao into a shock lead in the 26th minute with a powerful header . Gareth Bale smacked the post with an astonishing attempt from around 45 yards out for Real Madrid on 83 minutes . Barcelona have the chance to replace Madrid in first place on Sunday after the defeat .


Jihadi's John's younger brother was convicted of handling stolen goods in a case just months after the older brother was acquitted of the same charge. Mohammed Emwazi's involvement with criminal gangs has emerged as a key staging post on his path to extremism and eventually to becoming the notorious executioner for the Islamic State. It has now emerged that his younger brother Omar, five years his junior, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen goods at Isleworth Crown Court in West London in August 2012. Guilty: Omar Emwazi - younger brother of Mohammed Emwazi, revealed last week as Jihadi John - pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods in 2012 . The 21-year-old received a community order for 12 months, 100 hours unpaid work and had to pay prosecution costs of £800. Emwazi's younger brother has previously posted his support online for radical preachers including Sheikh Khalid Yasin and Imran ibn Mansur, known as Dawah Man. Omar is also a member of a street preaching group called Power of Dawah, which supports the fundamentalist preacher Abdur Raheem Green, who preached to Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab, the 'Underpants Bomber'. A friend said Omar got into fights at school, and added: 'I don't think he was one of the brightest academically either, to put it politely. 'I know some of the most harmless people that are on dawah stalls. However, given his situation, I can see why that may ring some alarms.' Abdulmutallab pleaded guilty in 2012 to attempting to blow up a commercial plane on a would-be suicide mission for al-Qaeda. He was caught trying to board a plane on Christmas Day in 2009 with explosives stitched into his underwear, earning him the nickname the 'Underpants Bomber'. Dangerous: Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab (left) - better known as the Underpants Bomber - invited fundamentalist preacher Abdur Raheem Green (right) to speak at the University College London in 2005 . But the Nigerian was left badly burned when the bomb failed to detonate fully on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. He had previously invited controversial Abdur Raheem Green to speak while he was president of Islamic Society at University College London in 2005. Muslim convert Green has previously has been accused of supporting jihadism, and once proclaimed: 'Dying while fighting jihad is one of the surest ways to paradise and Allah's good pleasure' It was also revealed this week that Omar was a member of a group dubbed the 'Muslim mafia' in school and admired a controversial Islamic hate preacher. The 21-year-old is said to have supported Sheikh Khalid Yasin, who was lauded by Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale. Support: Omar Emwazi is said to have used Facebook to profess his admiration for Muslim hate preacher Sheikh Kalid Yasin (left), who inspired Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebowale (right) to convert to Islam . Omar is said to have quickly taken down his Facebook page after his brother's new identity was revealed last week. He reportedly used the site to 'like' Sheikh Yasin, a preacher who has called the Taliban his 'brothers' and denounced both Christian and Jewish beliefs

Summary: Omar Emwazi pleaded guilty to possession of stolen bicycles in 2012 . Brother Mohammed - Jihadi John - acquitted of same charge weeks before . Omar revealed as part of street preaching group called Power of Dawah . Group supports fundamentalist preacher Abdur Raheem Green . Green previously linked to al-Qaeda's failed 'Underpants Bomber'