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Pictured is Martha - the last remaining passenger pigeon - who died in 1914, marking the rapid extinction of a bird species due to human activity . In 1866, a billion-strong flock of passenger pigeons, 300 miles long and one mile wide, darkened the skies of Ontario for 14 hours as they flew overhead. But less 50 years later, these impressive creatures, once abundant in North America, became extinct as a result of cutting down forests and hunting by humans. Now geneticists in San Francisco are hoping to bring the passenger pigeon back to life using centuries-old DNA. The company, Revive and Restore, will use a process known as ‘de-extinction’ which, if successful, could also be used to bring back hundreds of other extinct species. The process involves using passenger pigeon DNA taken from museum specimens. Scientists can then fill in the blanks with fragments from the band-tailed pigeon. This reconstructed genome would be placed into stem cells of a band-tailed pigeon, which would transform into a cell that could become a sperm or an egg. The scientists would then inject these so-called germ cells into band-tailed pigeons. Their hope is that, as those birds mate, their chicks would have some passenger pigeon genes. ‘The genomes of the two birds will be compared in close detail, to determine which differences are most crucial,’ the company said on their website. ‘The data and analysis will begin with the process of converting viable band-tailed DNA into viable passenger pigeon DNA.’ The process involves using passenger pigeon DNA taken from museum specimens. Scientists will then fill in the blanks with fragments of DNA from the band-tailed pigeon.This reconstructed genome would be placed into stem cells of a band-tailed pigeon. The scientists would then inject these so-called germ cells into band-tailed pigeons. Their hope is that, as those birds mate, their chicks would have some passenger pigeon genes . A century ago, Martha, a red-eyed, grey and brown bird famous as the last surviving passenger pigeon, keeled over, marking an extinction of a species. Revive and Restore will take the long-dead pigeon out of the file cabinets of history as part of their project. ‘Here was a bird like the robin that everybody knew and within a generation or two it was gone - and we were its cause,’ Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm said. In the 18th and 19th centuries the passenger pigeon was the most abundant bird species on Earth. Unlike the domesticated carrier pigeon used for messages, these were wild birds. They were easy to catch because they stayed together. But they were considered a poor man's food; domestic workers complained about eating too much passenger pigeon. In . the 18th and 19th centuries the passenger pigeon was the most abundant . bird species on Earth. Unlike the domesticated carrier pigeon used for . messages, these were wild birds. They were easy to catch because they . stayed together . Band-tailed Pigeon (pictured) could help bring extinct Passenger Pigeon back to life, according to scientists . ‘Nobody ever dreamed that a bird that common could be brought into extinction that quickly,’ said University of Minnesota evolutionary biologist Bob Zink. Examination of the passenger pigeon's genetic code shows that their population grew and fell regularly from as much as five billion to as few as tens of millions. The chief causes of the extinction - cutting down Eastern U.S. forests and hunting - were man-made, Professor Zink added. By 1900, there were no passenger pigeons left in the wild. By 1914, there was just one - 29-year-old Martha at the Cincinnati Zoo. Then on September 1, 1914, Martha was found lying on the bottom of her cage. The passenger pigeon was now extinct. Pictured are stem cells made from the cell nucleas. These will be a crucial part of the 'de-extinction' process . It was the first public extinction, something people used to think happened only to relics of the past like dinosaurs, or critters stuck on islands like dodos, Pimm and other scientists said. Bringing the passenger pigeon back would cost millions and take at least a decade, said Ben Novak who is leading the project. Some scientists, however, don’t believe the idea is ethical or practical. But Professor Novak sees a world on the verge of a mass extinction of many species and feels something has to be done about it. Reviving some long-lost species, he said, may offer ‘a type of justice for what we're doing now and also teach people it's so much easier to keep something alive than to bring it back to life.’ On September 1, 1914, Martha  - the last remaining passenger pigeon - (pictured) was found lying on the bottom of her cage . By 1900, there we no passenger pigeons left in the wild. By 1914, there was just 29-year-old Martha at the Cincinnati Zoo. People lined up to see her. Then on September 1, 1914, Martha was found lying on the bottom of her cage meaning the passenger pigeon had become extinct. It had gone from billions of birds to zero in around a century. It was the first public extinction, something people used to think happened only to relics of the past like dinosaurs, or animals stuck on islands like dodos. Martha, the last of her kind, was put in a 300-pound block of ice and shipped to Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian. She was stuffed and mounted. When she travelled back to Cincinnati or to San Diego for a big conservation conference, she flew in a first class seat. For the last 15 years, she has been in a metal filing cabinet in the bowels of the Smithsonian, stuck on the same stick with an older stuffed unrelated pigeon named George. On Monday, they were separated, George was put back in storage and Martha was ready for a comeback. An exhibit on her extinction and the 100th anniversary starts June 24 at the Smithsonian.

San Francisco geneticists plan to use a process known as ‘de-extinction’ Technique involves using pigeon DNA taken from museum specimens . Scientists will then fill in gaps with fragments from a band-tailed pigeon . This reconstructed genome would be placed into stem cells of a pigeon . Scientists would then inject these back into live band-tailed pigeons . As those birds mate, their chicks would have passenger pigeon genes . Technique could be used to bring back hundreds of other extinct species . By 1900, wild passenger pigeons were extinct as a result of human activity .

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By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 00:32 EST, 28 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:10 EST, 28 November 2013 . A Miss Universe pageant hopeful is suing the organization co-owned by Donald Trump, claiming a recruiter asked her to give him oral sex in exchange for fast-tracking her modelling career. Ashleigh Blake, 21, from Tracy in Northern California, filed a suit Wednesday against the Miss Universe Organization, which she alleges is rife with sexual deviants who prey on unsuspecting young women. She claims Miss California USA recruiter Domingo Rodriguez lured her to a Starbucks parking lot with promises to land her modeling jobs and magazine covers. But when she met him in his car he allegedly explained that her end of the bargain involved giving him 'sexual favors.' Lawsuit: Ashleigh Blake, 21, pictured, from Tracy in Northern California, filed a suit Wednesday against the Miss Universe Organization, which she alleges is rife with sexual deviants who prey on unsuspecting young women . Miss Universe: Blake is suing the Miss Universe Organization, which is co-owned by Donald Trump, pictured right . Blake says she burst into tears and ran from the car. She says she went straight to the Tracy Police Department but was told she couldn't file criminal charges against Rodriquez because the recruiter didn't force her to perform the sex act. So she's suing the Miss Universe Organization claiming it knowingly hires 'scam artists' who lure young women with false promises of modeling contracts and fame. Blake is seeking at least $200,000 in damages according to TMZ. According to Jezebel, Blake was an amateur model and part-time tutor who fantasized about being a movie star or one of the Glee team when she was contacted out of the blue by the Miss California USA recruiter in November 2012. She responded right away to his request to schedule a meeting. 'I didn't expect them to pick me in a million years,' Ashleigh said in a YouTube video to raise awareness of the scam. 'When they did, I thought it was the start of my dreams coming true.' After filling out an online application, she was invited to an interview session with Rodriquez and a handful of other girls at a hotel near her home. They watched a promotional video and had one-on-one interviews, during which he told Blake he'd help find her sponsors to pay the $895 non-refundable application fee. Big dreams: Blake, pictured, was an amateur model and part-time tutor who fantasized about being a movie star or one of the Glee team when she was contacted out of the blue by the Miss California USA recruiter in November 2012 . He also told her, if she was interested, he knew a Miami magazine that needed a cover model. He followed up with her on email and later texted her. Blake said she was excited but unsettled by the middle-aged man's enthusiasm so she called the number on the pageant website and reached K2 Productions, which produces the California pageant, and they confirmed he worked there. He then asked her to send him modelling photos, which she did. He text back straight away saying the Miami magazine wanted her on the cover but they'd have to meet in person to discuss the terms of the deal. She agreed to meet him at a Starbucks in Tracy. However, Rodriguez showed up without any paperwork and asked Blake to get inside his car. She felt uncomfortable but got inside, thinking that as he was an official pageant recruiter there'd be no funny business. But once the doors were closed, Rodriguez told Ashleigh that the agreement wasn't written. It was oral. Help: After the Starbucks encounter, Blake said she contacted K2 Productions Director Keith Lewis, pictured left, to report what had happened and she said he told her he was upset but that she should keep it under wraps . Surprised: Blake, a 5ft 8in model was surprised when she was contacted by the Miss California USA recruiter to apply for the MUO pageant . 'Basically, I had to give him head and other "sexual favors" if I wanted to be on the cover of the magazine,' she said on YouTube. He said that this was simply the 'fast track' that 90 per cent of all successful actors and models had done to get to the top and her path to fame would be guaranteed if she did the same. He then asked her to 'prove herself' right there in the Starbucks parking lot. When she looked upset, he let her out of the car and told her to think about his offer. She told the police, who said it was a civil rather than criminal case because he didn't force her to do anything. She also approached Keith Lewis, the State Director for Miss California USA. She said he told Blake in an email that he was horrified by her experience and would remedy the situation, but advised her to keep her story under wraps. Rodriguez confirmed to Jezebel in March that he had met Blake in his car outside of a Tracy Starbucks to impart his knowledge about making it in modelling. 'She told me she would do whatever it takes, and now she's throwing my help in her face,' he told Jezebel. He denied that he personally requested a blow job, but said that he told her he knew of a magazine where 'young ladies can get on the cover if they do some type of sexual favors with the people at the magazine.' He said he had offered the same option to other aspiring models and at least one who took up the offer was 'doing very well.' 'This is character assassination and it's a shame because I've helped a lot of people in the past.' he said. He said he only met with Blake because she said she couldn't afford the fee for Miss California USA. 'The pageant industry is expensive for young ladies,' he said. 'I feel bad for those who dream about it but financially can't make it happen.'

Ashleigh Blake, 21, from Tracy in Northern California, filed a suit Wednesday against the Miss Universe Organization . She claims the organization is rife with sexual deviants who prey on unsuspecting young women . Miss California USA recruiter Domingo Rodriguez allegedly lured her to a Starbucks parking lot with promises to land her modeling jobs and magazine covers . But when she met him in his car he allegedly explained that her end of the bargain involved giving him 'sexual favors' She is seeking $200,000 in damages in the suit .

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Gamblers who won $1.5 million at a casino after realizing the cards hadn't been shuffled have been ordered to return the money. State Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor has sided with the Golden Nugget casino in its long-running dispute with 14 gamblers who say the fault wasn't theirs and they should be allowed to keep their winnings. At issue were games of mini-baccarat played in April 2012 using decks of cards the casino had paid a manufacturer to pre-shuffle but that hadn't been shuffled. Once players realized the pattern in which the cards were emerging they drastically upped their bets from $10 a hand to $5,000 and won 41 straight hands. Bummer: Gamblers who won $1.5 million at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City after realizing the cards hadn't been shuffled have been ordered to return the money . In the ruling, issued Monday and publicized by the casino on Thursday, the judge determined the games were illegal under state law because they didn't conform to gambling regulations specifying the way each game must be played. 'The dealer did not pre-shuffle the cards immediately prior to the commencement of play, and the cards were not pre-shuffled in accordance with any regulation,' the judge wrote. 'Thus, a literal reading of the regulations ... entails that the game violated the (Casino Control) Act, and consequently was not authorized.' She ruled that the gamblers must return any cash paid to them by the casino and any outstanding chips in their possession. The casino in turn must refund the gamblers the money they first put up to play. The Golden Nugget was pleased with the court's ruling, casino general manager Tom Pohlman said. 'We believe it was the right decision,' he said. A lawyer for the gamblers did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on the decision. A lawyer for the casino's partner, Landry's Inc., said he expects the decision to be appealed. The Golden Nugget bought what were supposed to be pre-shuffled cards from a Kansas City manufacturer, which acknowledged in court it failed to shuffle them. The casino said its litigation with the manufacturer has been resolved but a confidentiality agreement prevents it from revealing details. The judge's ruling was the latest in a long series of decisions that have seesawed between favoring the casino and favoring the gamblers. The owner of the casino, Texas billionaire Tillman Fertitta, originally decided to let the players keep their winnings, but that offer was contingent on them dropping other claims they made against the casino, which they declined to do. The casino paid out about $500,000 in winnings for the disputed games. About $1 million in chips remains outstanding.

At issue were games of mini-baccarat played in 2012 cards the Golden Nugget had paid a manufacturer to pre-shuffle but that hadn't been shuffled . Once players realized the pattern in which cards were emerging they upped their bets from $10 a hand to $5,000 and won 41 straight hands . Judge Donna Taylor said the games were illegal under state law because they didn't conform to state gambling regulations .

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By . Snejana Farberov . A Pennsylvania man is facing animal abuse and drug charges after police say he tormented his pet kitten and injected him with heroin, prompting a quick-thinking veterinarian to use a human overdose medication on the cat. The 8-week-old, 2-pound black cat was rushed on Sunday to Hope Veterinary Specialists clinic in Malvern Sunday bleeding from his face, missing several teeth and with a rope tightly tied around his neck. A doctor at the center determined that the animal had been exposed to heroin and decided to administer an unusual remedy, giving the kitty the drug Narcan commonly used to treat human victims of drug overdose. Scroll down for video . Nine lives: Hope the kitten is lucky to be alive after allegedly being beat up, choked and injected with heroin by his owner over the weekend . 'Drug fiend': James Paul Myers, 24, faces charges including animal cruelty and drug possession . Police in West Whiteland Township say at around 4.40am Sunday, an officer spotted James Myers' car parked in the middle of Dunwoody Drive with the driver's door ajar, according to a press release put out Tuesday by the Chester County District Attorney's Office. The officer says under the door he saw an injured black kitten with a rope around its neck and several teeth knocked out. Myers allegedly tried to choke his pet, slammed his face into the ground and then painted the message 'SLAM IT YOU PU$$Y' on the pavement. 'This is a two pound kitten that would fit in the palm of my hand. He would take a kitten, a defenseless kitten, and torture it this way,' District Attorney Tom Hogan told the station 6ABC. Police say they also seized nearly two dozen bundles of heroin, hundreds of used baggies and 46 of needles in the 24-year-old's car. Authorities say at the veterinary clinic, Dr. Jennifer Magilto was able to revive the injured cat with an antidote for opium-based drug overdoses. Savagery: The kitty had some of his teeth knocked out in the beating,  and the 8-week-old pet also suffered head trauma . Obscene: Myers allegedly painted the words 'SLAM IT YOU PU$$Y' on the pavement . Initially, there was talk of euthanizing the animal because of his injuries, but when the veterinarian learned the facts of the case, she concluded that the kitten must have been injected with heroin and decided to try and save him. Within 24 hours, the kitty, appropriately named Hope after the veterinary clinic, was purring, eating with appetite and playing. The tough little guy is expected to make a full recovery, according to the doctors. He will then be transferred to the Chester County SPCA, which will help find Hope a foster home before putting him up for adoption. Quick-thinking vet: The doctor treating little Hope determined that he must have been injected with heroin and used the overdose reversal antidote nalaxone, trademarked as Narcan, to revive the pet . Getting better: The kitty is expected to make a full recovery, after which he will be put up for adoption . James Myers has been charged with animal cruelty and drug possession. He is being held in jail on $25,000 bail. ‘The abuse of this kitten was a singularly depraved act,’ stated District Attorney Hogan. ‘Heroin addicts abuse themselves, animals, and children without remorse or regret. What punishment is severe enough for this type of evil?’

A black 8-week-old kitten dubbed Hope was saved by a doctor at Hope Veterinary Specialists clinic in Malvern, Pennsylvania . The veterinarian gave the bleeding, lethargic kitten the overdose antidote Narcan . Owner James Myers, 24, charged with animal cruelty and drug possession . Myers is accused of trying to choke the cat with a rope, slamming his face into the ground and shooting him up with heroin Sunday .

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Babies with ‘three parents’ could be created in British laboratories within two years, it emerged yesterday. The UK fertility regulator said there was no evidence that the controversial technique would be unsafe, but called for extra checks before approving it for use. These could take up to two years. However, some leading scientists said that no time is to be lost in changing the law to allow women to be treated. Hope: Babies with 'three parents' could be created in British laboratories within two years, it has emerged. The UK fertility regulator said there was no evidence the IVF controversial technique would be unsafe (file picture) This would make Britain the first . country in the world to sanction the creation of babies that effectively . have three parents – two mothers and a father. Supporters . say it will give couples who have endured the heartache of repeatedly . miscarrying or burying much longed-for children the option of having a . healthy family. But critics argue that genetically engineering eggs and embryos crosses a crucial ethical line. Done differently, it could lead to the creation of ‘perfect’ babies, made to order by hair or eye colour. Mitochondria are tiny powerhouses in cells . that generate energy and have a small amount of their own DNA, separate . from the bulk of the human genetic code. Defects in mitochondrial . DNA (mtDNA) are responsible for a host of inherited diseases, including . conditions leading to muscle wasting, heart problems, loss of vision, . organ failure and epilepsy. MR treatment, which employs two different . IVF techniques, aims to prevent these diseases by giving babies healthy . mtDNA from donor eggs. The baby is born with normal 'nuclear' DNA . passed down by its parents - containing most inherited traits such as . eye and hair colour and height - plus a tiny amount of mtDNA donated by a . second donor 'mother'. In effect the baby has three genetic parents, though the donated mtDNA contains less than 1 per cent of its genes. Since . the healthy mtDNA would be inherited by future generations, the . treatment has the potential to eradicate mitochondrial diseases from . affected families. Critics argue that allowing the treatments could be the first step down a slippery slope towards 'designer babies'. The . controversy surrounds work being carried out at Newcastle University . into incurable diseases caused by mitochondria – the tiny sausage-shaped . powerhouses inside cells that turn food into energy. These . defects cause serious illness in one in 6,500 babies and are . responsible for 50 genetic diseases, many of which kill in infancy. Women . carrying damaged mitochondria can also miscarry repeatedly and often . face the heartbreaking choice of whether it would be best to remain . childless. To help them, . scientists have developed techniques in which the mother-to-be’s . diseased mitochondria are swapped with healthy ones from an egg donated . by another woman. Successful ‘mitochondrial replacement’ would allow the . couple a healthy child that is genetically their own. As the changes . would be passed down the generations, it would also eliminate the . disease from future generations of the family. Any . child would have DNA from two eggs and one sperm – and so effectively . have two mothers and one father - although the genetic contribution from . the donated egg would be very small. The Government has already given . the treatment its backing and published draft rules that will allow it – . if Parliament agrees. And . it had been predicted that the law could be changed by the end of this . year. But yesterday, a study by the fertility watchdog, the Human . Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, urged caution. The . authors said that while they have not seen any evidence that the . techniques are unsafe, crucial research needed to be done, before the . first women are treated. Panel . chairman Dr Andy Greenfield said: ‘The scientific questions that we . examined and the research that we examined – and it was voluminous – . will never answer all of the critical questions. And, of course it won’t . answer the fundamental question, which is are these techniques safe and . efficacious in humans.’ Three parents: The techniques involve replacing defective DNA in the mother's egg with material from a donor egg. This means the resulting healthy child would effectively have two mothers and a father . However, . he added that the same sort of safety questions existed before the . birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first test-tube baby. Dr David King, of campaign group Human Genetics Alert, said the techniques ‘open the door to a designer baby future’. Newcastle . University described the report as ‘very encouraging’ but couldn’t say . when it would be ready to treat the first woman.

Babies with 'three parents' could be created in Britain within two years . UK fertility regulator said there was no evidence technique was unsafe . However, it has called for additional checks before approving it for use . Approach is designed . to help families with particular genetic faults who want to avoid . passing on devastating incurable diseases to their children . Gives women who repeatedly miscarry 'option of having healthy family' But critics argue genetically engineering embryos crosses ethical line .

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By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 07:41 EST, 29 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:05 EST, 29 January 2014 . From the invention of the telephone to the bicycle and even the steam ship, the Victorian period saw a mini revolution in the field of science and technology. But of all the new gadgets invented during her reign, it was the camera that delighted Queen Victoria the most. By the time she died in 1901, the UK's first modern monarch had amassed a huge collection of more than 20,000 images that included everything from favourite landscapes to early war photography and touching snaps of pets, friends and children. Family portrait: Queen Victoria and five of her children in an intimate snap taken by Roger Fenton in 1854 . The Royal Family at home: An 1857 portrait of the Royal Family taken by Leonida Caldesi in 1857 . Now some of the rarely seen photos from her archive are to be included in a fascinating new exhibition that documents Queen Victoria's passion for photography and offers a glimpse of the Royals' family photo album. Although most of the photos remain in the Windsor Castle archive, 200 royal photos will appear at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, including many by early greats such as Roger Fenton,  Leonida Caldesi and William Edward Kilburn. Among them is a touching family portrait featuring Queen Victoria and five of her nine children; the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, Princess Alice, Princess Helena and Prince Alfred, taken in January 1852. More show the Queen relaxing at Balmoral, spending time with her husband, Prince Albert, or posing for formal portraits during her widowhood. Carefree childhood: Princesses Helena and Louise pictured playing in the garden by Roger Fenton in 1856 . A Queen remembered: Victoria with Prince Albert in 1841 (left) and the Diamond Jubilee portrait of 1893 . Not amused: Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught seems less than thrilled to be starring in this Caldesi photo . Other members of the Royal family also appear, among them Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria's seventh child, and her consort, Prince Albert, both of whom appear in official photos. Another, more intimate snap shows Princesses Helena and Louise in matching tartan ensembles in the garden at Balmoral during a summer jaunt. But although family photos dominate, the Queen's interest in photography wasn't limited to pictures of her husband and children. Photos of some of the Royal palaces, among them Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, appear as do snaps documenting some of the most important events of the Victorian period. One, by William Henry Fox Talbot, shows Nelson's Column under construction in Trafalgar Square in 1844, while another chronicles the launch of the pioneering steamship, the Great Eastern, under the watchful eye of its designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Favourite palace: This photo, dating from the 1880s, shows the Round Tower at Windsor Castle . Pioneer: This shot of Nelson's Column was taken by William Henry Fox Talbot, the inventor of the camera . Poignantly, another, snapped by court favourite Roger Fenton, shows the aftermath of the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Considered one of the first war photographers, Fenton travelled to the Crimea under the patronage of Prince Albert and returned with 350 images, among them harrowing shots showing the carnage created by the Siege of Sevastopol and the Battle of Balaclava. His famous photo, The Valley of Death, depicting the spot where the Light Brigade met its end is part of Victoria's collection, along with others documenting events such as the Indian Mutiny from around the Empire. Although a keen collector, Queen Victoria never took any photographs of her own, although her children all embraced the medium. But although she chose not to get involved in creating her own images, her penchant for collecting photos, as the new exhibition makes plain, helped preserve some of the most striking depictions of the Victorian period for future generations to enjoy. A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography opens at the Getty Center in Los Angeles on 4th February. See getty.edu for more information . Innovation: Isambard Kingdom Brunel watching the launch of the steamship, Great Eastern, in 1857 . Valley of the Shadow of Death: The cannonball littered aftermath of the Charge of the Light Brigade, 1855 . From the Siege of Sevastopol to the Charge of the Light Brigade, Roger Fenton's striking shots taken in the Crimea are among the first war photographs ever taken. So who was the world's first war photographer? Born into a wealthy Lancashire family, Fenton was the fourth of seven children. He graduated with a degree in English, maths, Greek and Latin from Oxford University in 1840 and planned to study law before giving it up in favour of fine art. After stints in Paris, in the studio of Paul Delaroche and at the Louvre, he returned to London just in time for the Great Exhibition of 1851 where he discovered photography. Taught by early pioneer, Gustave Le Grey, within a year, Fenton was exhibiting his work nationwide and across Europe, and in 1853, helped found what would become the Royal Photographic Society under the patronage of Prince Albert. But it wasn't until war broke out in October 1853 between the British, Ottoman and French Empires on one side, and the Russian Empire on the other, that the photos that would define him in later years were taken. Encouraged by Prince Albert, he travelled to the Crimea, ostensibly to create photographs that would swing public opinion in favour of the unpopular war and counteract the critical reports being sent home by The Times' William Howard Russell. Based in the Crimea for just under 18 months, the 350 images he took are among the most enduring portraits of the Crimean War but did little to counter the negative public reaction. Much to his annoyance, when they went on sale following his return, the prints proved just as unpopular as the war itself with the paying public. His later career was spent travelling the length and breadth of the UK, creating stunning landscape photographs that proved far more commercially successful. In 1859, at his home in Potter's Bar in Hertfordshire, Fenton died after a week-long illness. He was just 50 years old.

New exhibition includes 200 rare images from the Royal Archive . Queen Victoria amassed more than 20,000 photos during her life . Many are intimate family portraits, some featuring the Queen herself . Others document significant events such as the Crimean War .

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To Arizona's governor, a bill that would have allowed businesses to close their doors to gays and lesbians out of religious conviction was wrong for the state. So, she vetoed it. The buck may have stopped with Gov. Jan Brewer in Arizona on Wednesday, but the fight to pass such laws bannered as religious freedom issues is still on in quite a few other states. "Right behind it are Missouri and Georgia," said Jay Michaelson, a fellow at Political Research Associates, a progressive political think tank. Brewer felt Senate Bill 1062 did not address specific dangers to religious freedom. "It could divide Arizona in ways we cannot even imagine," said Brewer, who said she tuned out public pressure and made the decision she felt was right. Attention now turns to the following states: . Georgia . The Preservation of Religious Freedom Act has been introduced into Georgia's Legislature, and it is similar to the one vetoed in Arizona. The measure, which is moving through the state House of Representatives, allows a private company to ignore state law that "directly or indirectly constrains, inhibits, curtails or denies" a person's religious beliefs. An almost identical bill has been introduced in the state Senate. Much like the Arizona measure, neither Georgia's House nor Senate bills specifically spell out gays or lesbians as the target. The legislation is not on the calendar for Monday, or "Crossover Day," the last day for legislation to pass the chamber in which it was introduced and transfer to the other chamber for consideration. But Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham said it could still appear on Monday. His group opposes the legislation. Graham doesn't rule out the bill moving forward, even if it doesn't make the calendar. "This could still come up as an amendment to another bill." Idaho . There are two bills being considered. HB 426 would protect people making decisions out of religious convictions -- including denying service to someone. HB 427 gives people protection against legal claims made against them in cases involving religious convictions. If passed into law, the first bill probably would be vulnerable to constitutional legal challenges. Both bills could cause many disruptions to everyday life in the state, a state attorney general said in an article in the The Spokesman Review. HB 427 has been sent back to committee. Mississippi . A bill is being considered to legally protect people against being compelled to take any action against their religion. SB 2681 does not explicitly mention gays, lesbians or same-sex marriage. It has passed the Senate and was referred to House, where it is in a judiciary committee. Missouri . A bill that requires the government to show a compelling interest in any attempt to restrict a person's right to practice religion was introduced this week by Republican state Sen. Wayne Wallingford. SB 916 provides for additional civil protections to the state's existing "Religious Freedom Restoration Act," according to the senator. But critics of the law say it's a way to discriminate against gays. Ohio . The House introduced HB 376 in December. It also does not single out same-sex relations for discrimination but gives legal protection to individuals acting or making decisions out of religious conviction. It's currently in judiciary committee. Critics say it's aimed at discrimination against same-sex couples, knoxnews.com reported. Oregon . The conservative Oregon Family Council is sponsoring a ballot measure -- the "Protect Religious Freedoms Initiative" -- that would allow private businesses to deny services that would support same-sex marriage. The group, which previously supported the effort to ban same-sex marriage in the state, is pushing to get the measure on the November ballot. South Dakota . Conservative senators introduced one bill that would allow businesses or people to deny "certain wedding services or goods due to the free exercise of religion." But its main sponsor withdrew it. But there's a second one protecting "speech pertaining to views on sexual orientation." It has been deferred to a late legislative day. There are also states where proposed bills have already hit a legislative wall: . Colorado . A bill that would have allowed people to defend against discrimination allegations on the basis of religious convictions was killed in committee, The Denver Post reported . Kansas . State representatives introduced a bill in January that would have explicitly permitted religious business people and government workers to refuse serving same-sex couples. It passed the House, with a vote of 72 to 49, but failed in the Republican-dominated Senate. Maine . A conservative senator introduced a religious freedom bill that would have protected people making decisions out of religious convictions that other legislators felt interfered with other people's civil rights. The state Senate and House both voted it down, the Bangor Daily News reported. Tennessee . Tennessee legislators introduced a bill in early February that proponents said would protect businesses if they refused services to gays and lesbians. Critics called it the "Turn the Gays Away" bill. The measure has been withdrawn from committee, CNN affiliate WSMV reported. Utah . Conservative state Sen. Stuart Reid introduced a bill similar to the Arizona bill that was vetoed, but it has since been shelved, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Arizona's governor felt it wasn't right; many lawmakers face her decision . "Right behind it are Missouri and Georgia," says analyst at political think tank . He predicts the advocates will follow the lead set by anti-abortion advocates . "It's a big, black mark against a state," says GLAAD CEO .

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Jamie Carragher spent 17 years at Liverpool, setting a European appearance record in the process and eventually racked up 737 games for the club. He can therefore probably be forgiven for seeing Melwood as a home from home. On Friday the Sportsmail columnist and former Liverpool defender turned up at his old training base instead of heading to the gym. Jamie Carragher drove to Melwood 'without thinking' on Friday morning, his old place of employment . Liverpool legend Carragher trains with Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt at the training base back in 2007 . Carragher tweeted: 'Anyone ever drive to there previous employment without thinking? I've just drove to Melwood! Supposed to be going the gym!!' The 36-year-old hung up his boots 18 months ago but former Liverpool midfielder Jimmy Case believes the club would have won the title last season were Carragher still around. Case said: 'If Carragher had stayed on for one more season, Liverpool would have won it. He would not have played every game, but the way they lost it against Chelsea and Crystal Palace would not have happened.' The likes of Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Mario Balotelli could have been at Melwood when Carragher arrived, with Brendan Rodgers preparing his players who aren't on international duty for their next Premier League fixture.

Jamie Carragher drove to Melwood instead of the gym on Friday morning . He tweeted: 'Anyone ever drive to there previous employment without thinking? I've just drove to Melwood! Supposed to be going the gym!!' Carragher spent 17 years at Liverpool and racked up 737 appearances .

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By . Associated Press . McDonald's is offering free coffee to its customers for a limited time as competition for the breakfast crowd intensifies. The world's biggest hamburger chain announced on Friday that participating U.S. locations will offer small cups of McCafe coffee at no charge during breakfast hours from March 31 through April 13. McDonald's said that this is the first time it's ever had a free coffee event nationwide. Its McCafe product line, which also includes iced coffees and other drinks, debuted in the U.S. in 2009. 1, 2, free! participating mcDonald's in the U.S. will be offering free coffee from march 31 to April 13 . McDonald's hopes that the limited promotion will catapult breakfast sales to stay on top of their competitors . The Oak Brook, Ill., company is hoping that the coffee giveaway will bring in new customers. It's also a way to get existing customers to come in more frequently. And it's likely that those stopping by for a free coffee will be tempted to pick up a breakfast sandwich or other items while there. Breakfast is an important component of McDonald's business, comprising about 20 percent of its U.S. sales. The announcement comes as Taco Bell rolls out ads to promote its new breakfast menu, which includes a waffle taco. The ads star everyday men that happen to be named Ronald McDonald, the same name as McDonald's mascot. Chains like McDonald's Corp., Taco Bell and Starbucks Corp. - which recently revamped its sandwiches - are all fighting for a piece of the breakfast market because people are increasingly buying breakfast on the go. McDonald's coffee giveaway comes shortly after it reported that an important sales figure declined 1.4 percent at established U.S. locations in February . McDonald's coffee giveaway comes shortly after it reported that an important sales figure declined 1.4 percent at established U.S. locations in February. The chain blamed bad winter weather but also said that 'challenging industry dynamics' played a role. The company has worked on adapting by making menu changes such as giving an option for egg whites in breakfast sandwiches and adding chicken McWraps to help appeal to those looking for fresher, healthier food. For a long time McDonald's, which started offering breakfast nationally in 1975 with the roll out of the Egg McMuffin, has dominated the morning category. Rival Burger King came out with their breakfast menu in 1979 and others have followed. The latest is Taco Bell, which launched its new breakfast menu on Thursday. But McDonald's is still a force - it's 31 percent of the category makes it the No. 1 player in breakfast, according to market researcher Technomic.

Participating U.S. locations will offer . small cups of McCafe coffee at no charge during breakfast hours from . March 31 through April 13 . The free coffee comes at the same time that taco Bell is introducing its new breakfast item the waffle taco . McDonald's coffee giveaway comes shortly . after it reported that an important sales figure declined 1.4 percent . at established U.S. locations in February .

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The United States government has denied Edward Snowden's claims that he was an undercover spy and had worked for both the CIA and NSA. National Security Adviser Susan Rice has spoken out in the wake of Snowden's first televised interview that aired on NBC Wednesday night. When asked if Snowden's claim was true, Ms Rice bluntly said: 'No'. 'Edward Snowden was a contractor working for the NSA and other elements of the intelligence community,' she said to CNN's Wolf Blitzer after being prompted with another question. His side: Edward Snowden told NBC's Brian Williams that he previously worked as an undercover operative for the CIA and the NSA, but the government has since denied those claims . 'Obviously he’s accused of sharing and disclosing, illegally, some of the most sensitive information of the United States government, allegedly, and our strong view is that rather than give television interviews, he ought to come home and have his day in court where he will be treated with all of the protections and fairness that our judicial system allows.' Speaking out: Susan Rice told CNN that Snowden never served in such capacities and he should come back to America to be brought to court . Her comments come after Brian William's full interview with Snowden aired, wherein he claimed to have had experience working as a government-backed undercover agent in addition to working later as an analyst and contractor for the NSA. 'I was trained as a spy in terms of the traditional sense of the word in that I lived and worked undercover, overseas, pretending to work in a job that I'm not, and even being assigned a name that was not mine,' he said to NBC. 'Now the government might deny these things, they might frame it in certain ways and say "Oh, well he's a low-level analyst" but what they're trying to do is they're trying to use one position that I've had in a career here or there to distract from the totality of my experience, which is that I've worked for the Central Intelligence Agency- undercover, overseas. I've worked for the National Security Agency- undercover, overseas- and I've worked at the Department of Defense as a lecturer at the joint-training  academy where I developed sources and methods for keeping our people and information secure in the most hostile and dangerous environments across the world.' He went on to claim that before he turned over the documents to journalist Glenn Greenwald, he started to go through official channels to report his apparent concern over the NSA's surveillance programs. More evidence: Snowden said that he sent emails to his higher ups at the NSA before leaking, expressing his concerns, but the government took the unprecedented step on Thursday of releasing one email that went against his comments . In response, the government used their new Intelligence Community Tumblr to released one email that they had on file from Snowden. The email is dated April 8, 2013, and seems to be an inquiry about the definition of the scope of executive orders as dictated in part of his training. 'NSA has now explained that they have found one email inquiry by Edward Snowden to the Office of General Counsel asking for an explanation of some material that was in a training course he had just completed,' the IC On The Record Tumblr caption notes. 'The e-mail did not raise allegations or concerns about wrongdoing or abuse, but posed a legal question that the Office of General Counsel addressed.' Edward Snowden's email, dated Friday, April 5, 2013 . Hello, I have a question regarding the mandatory USSID 18 training. The training states the following: ----(U) The Hierarchy of Governing Authorities and Documents is displayed from the highest authority to the lowest authority as follows:U.S. ConstitutionFederal Statutes/Presidential Executive Orders (EO)Department of Defense (DoD) and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) RegulationsNSA/CSS Directives and Policies      USSIDs      SID Management Directives and Policies      Office Policies----I'm not entirely certain, but this does not seem correct, as it seems to imply Executive Orders have the same precedence as law. My understanding is that EOs may be superceded by federal statute, but EOs may not override statute. Am I incorrect in this? Between EOs and laws, which have precedence?Similarly, between DOD and ODNI regulations, which has greater precedence? Could you please clarify?Thank you very much, Ed . Official response, sender's name redacted, sent on Monday April 8, 2013Hello Ed,Executive Orders (E.O.s) have the "force and effect of law." That said, you are correct that E.O.s cannot override a statute.In general, DOD and ODNI regulations are afforded similar precedence though subject matter or date could result in one having precedence over another. Please give me a call if you would like to discuss further. Regards, [name redacted]Office of General Counsel . Full exchange: This email chain was released by a government-run blog on Thursday afternoon in an effort to discredit Snowden's claims that he sent emails showing he was concerned about NSA policies .

Snowden claimed that he worked for the CIA, NSA and Department of Defense at different points in his career . National Security Adviser Susan Rice has shot down that theory and said that he never worked as a spy for any branch of the government . In his first televised interview, he told how he tried going through official channels by emailing his boss about concerns before leaking . Government released one email he sent asking a question about legal precedence- with no sense of concern .

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Real Betis midfielder Alfred N'Diaye was quick to act and cradle a young fan to safety from the wreckage after the collapse of a fence in the stands of Osasuna's El Sadar Stadium. The on-loan Sunderland star was on hand immediately after the incident caused during celebrations for the home side's opening goal after 12 minutes through Oriol Riera. Elated fans for the relegation-threatened host went into raptures after the strike before spilling onto the pitch when the fence gave way. Despite eventually winning 2-1, Osasuna couldn't escape the drop due to result elsewhere and will join Betis, who were already relegated before this week's fixtures, and Real Valladolid in the Spanish second division next season. Supported: Real Betis's on-loan Sunderland midfielder Alfred N'Diaye carries a young fan from the wreckage . Spilling over: Police officers and medical staff restore order after the railing collapsed at Osasuna . Collapse: Play was suspended after a barrier fell during Osasuna's La Liga match against Real Betis . Relegation battle: Officials at the Pamplona ground ensured all was safe before restarting play . The collapse at Pamplona added drama to an already nail-biting final day of La Liga action. Play was halted for more than 30 minutes when the barrier tumbled to the ground following . Osasuna's early breakthrough before fans spilled on to . the pitch. Around 40 were treated on site for minor complaints and 10 . were taken to hospital but none suffered serious injury, according to . the local Red Cross. When play restarted the hosts doubled their lead almost immediately through Javier Acuna but their winning was only one part of their bid to add another year to their 14 spent in the top-flight. Their delay forced the Spanish professional league (LFP) to extend the halftime breaks in the other three games . involving relegation-threatened sides until the second-half restart in the Osasuna-Betis match. Collapse: An Osasuna supporter is helped by a medic after a fence broke at at El Sadar . No serious injuries: 40 fans were treated on site while 10 were taken to hospital with minor complaints . Elated: Osasuna players celebrate Riera's opening goal after 12 minutes that sparked the collapse . Not enough: Despite winning 2-1, Osasuna couldn't avoid relegation . In control: Police and security line the area of the stadium that was damaged . Valladolid, . who were promoted in 2011-12, went down following a 1-0 home defeat by . Granada, who along with Almeria and Getafe avoided the drop. Almeria . drew 0-0 at home to fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao and Getafe beat Rayo . Vallecano 2-1 in a bad-tempered clash between the two Madrid clubs which . ended in a mass brawl. Betis finished in 20th and last place with 25 . points from 38 matches, Valladolid were 19th on 36 and Osasuna 18th on . 39, a point behind Almeria and Elche. Getafe finished in 13th with 42 . points and Granada in 15th on 41. Atletico Madrid won their first La . Liga title in 18 years on Saturday thanks to a 1-1 draw at second-placed . Barcelona in a thrilling climax to the campaign.

Real Betis's N'Diaye was on hand when fans fell onto the ground during celebrations for Osasuna's opening goal at El Sadar Stadium . About 40 fans were treated on site and 10 were taken to hospital . No-one was seriously injured when the fence behind the goal gave way . Osasuna beat Betis 2-1 but couldn't escape relation from La Liga . They will join Real Valladolid and Betis in Spain's second division .

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By . Lydia Warren . A panhandler has devised a creative way to raise cash - by entertaining motorists at a Tampa intersection while they wait for the lights to change. Jeff Stevens, who waits at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and Kennedy Boulevard, dances, twirls a cane and brandishes signs that he hopes tickle drivers into handing over change. 'Wife + pet tiger abducted. Need help w/ ransom to save my lovable tiger. They can have wife, so much quieter at home,' one sign reads. Thinking outside the box: Jeff Stevens performs and holds up creative signs for Tampa motorists . He has become somewhat of a local fixture after putting on his shows every Sunday. Stevens said he had originally held signs reading 'homeless' but realized he had to try something different when they failed to stir passersby into handing over donations. 'I started coming up with comedy things and trying to make people laugh,' he told Bay News 9. 'It just brightens their day.' He managed to get a full time job working at Denny's and moved into an apartment in 2011, but he still needed to perform to make ends meet. Having a laugh: He places signs along the roadside and hopes they tickle motorists into giving a donation . New approach: He said that he previously wrote 'homeless' on signs but that they never worked . He continues with his weekly performances in a bid to pay bills and start saving money. Now he has dreams of returning to what he used to do - traveling with the circus and performing with wild cats, he told Bay News 9. He told the channel he is related to Ron and Joy Holiday, who featured in HBO's documentary Cat Dancers and who hit headlines when their partner was killed by one of their tigers. But after he left the circus, his parents passed away and he clashed with the law - eventually bringing him to Florida and his intersection. Former career: He said he wants to work with a traveling circus - a job he previously had (pictured) Performance: Every weekend, he twirls a cane as cars wait for the lights to change at the intersection . And until he achieves his dream of getting back to the circus, he said he's happy to stay here putting on his shows. 'It blesses my heart to see them laughing,' he said of passersby. 'If I don't make a dollar or anything, it feels good right here just to see somebody smile.'

Jeff Stevens goes to the same Tampa intersection every Sunday and waits for the traffic to stop before dancing and twirling a cane . He also posts signs along the roadside that he hopes tickle motorists into handing over cash . Stevens, who also works at Denny's, dreams of joining a traveling circus .

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(CNN) -- DJ and TV host Jimmy Savile was a larger-than-life personality. And a report released Thursday confirms he was also an extravagant sexual predator, using his access to hospitals as a volunteer porter and fundraiser to abuse victims aged from 5 to 75. The review of Savile's behavior at 28 hospitals across the United Kingdom makes shocking reading, detailing a catalog of abuses against some of Britain's most vulnerable people over the course of decades. Protected by his celebrity and exploiting a network of relationships he built in hospitals, he carried out rapes, other sexual abuse and displayed an unhealthy interest in dead bodies in a hospital mortuary. Worse, the abuse went unchecked and unpunished, since the BBC entertainer died before the allegations against him were made public. UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt apologized in the House of Commons on Thursday to all the victims abused by Savile while in the care of the National Health Service -- and said the system had let down those who were brave enough to raise the alarm but had their complaints ignored. "Savile was a callous, opportunistic, wicked predator who abused and raped individuals, many of them patients and young people, who expected and had a right to expect to be safe. His actions span five decades -- from the 1960s to 2010," Hunt said. "The family favorite loved by millions courted popularity and used it to perpetrate and cover up his own evil acts." Victims who complained were "time and again" ignored, or if heard, little or no action was taken, Hunt said. "People and institutions turned a blind eye." "As a nation at that time we held Savile in our affection as a somewhat eccentric national treasure with a strong commitment to charitable causes," Hunt said. "Today's reports show that in reality he was a sickening and prolific sexual abuser who repeatedly exploited the trust of a nation for his own vile purposes." Victims' ages from 5 to 75 . 'Abused and raped patients without scruple' For a generation who grew up watching Savile on TV's "Top of the Pops" and his children's program "Jim'll Fix It," the revelations that first emerged in 2012 were deeply disturbing. Thursday's report into the full extent of his offending against children and adults, patients and staff, in 28 hospitals -- particularly Leeds Infirmary and Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric institution -- will do nothing to reassure them. The Leeds Infirmary report reveals a sexual predator who, while volunteering as a porter, "abused and raped patients without scruple," said Hunt. Some 60 people reported abuse to the Leeds investigation, including a teenager who believed she was pregnant as a result of Savile's actions, he said. "Two witnesses told the investigation Savile claimed to have had jewellery made from glass eyes taken from bodies in the mortuary," Hunt added, saying that other claims were too horrific to recount in parliament. The report cites one witness who tells how Savile recounted making trips to the hospital mortuary, where he claimed to have manipulated bodies before rigor mortis set in, taken photographs and performed sex acts on them. The report's authors say they have "no way of proving Savile's claim that he interfered with the bodies of deceased patients in the mortuary." However, it is established that he "publicly declared his interest in the dead," that he visited a friend who worked in the mortuary and that controls were lax for many years. "In light of the claims about the glass eye jewellery and Savile's interference with the bodies of the deceased, it is evident his interest in the mortuary was not within accepted boundaries," it concludes. 'Very manipulative' The report from Broadmoor said 10 people had alleged they were sexually assaulted by Savile, plus a case of indecent exposure involving a minor. The investigation concluded that at least five people were sexually abused and a sixth was more likely than not to have been. Five other victims could not be contacted for detailed accounts. The report gives an insight into how Savile was able to gain a position of influence at the secure institution that included giving him keys to wards and allowing him to watch female patients undress to bathe. "Savile could be charming and persuasive, at least to some, but at the same time he was grandiose, narcissistic, arrogant and lacking any empathy," it states. "He was also very manipulative, and many staff were convinced that he had close connections in high places and had the power to have them dismissed." Una O'Brien, permanent secretary of the Department of Health, said in a statement that "inadequate processes" had allowed Savile to gain the position of authority at Broadmoor that aided his abusive behavior. "While much has changed in the intervening years we will leave no stone unturned to make sure such appalling actions can never be repeated; our thoughts today are with the people who suffered and continue to suffer from these terrible crimes," she said. The UK's NSPCC children's charity said more must be done to safeguard children and ensure that an apparent "culture of turning a blind eye" to abuse is not repeated. "To hear that some hospital staff may have actively facilitated Savile's abuse of children is sickening and takes the scandal of his crimes to yet another abhorrent level," said Peter Watt, national services director for the charity. "Savile escaped justice because people didn't want to hear or believe what children were saying. Ministers now need to be satisfied that this could never happen again and that children and vulnerable adults in hospitals or any government facility are safe today." Savile died in October 2011 at age 84, soon after being treated in a hospital for pneumonia. His long history of abuse emerged only a year later, thanks to a TV documentary by UK broadcaster ITV. The BBC, where he worked as a radio DJ and TV presenter, has set up a separate inquiry into abuses he carried out on BBC premises. CNN's Carol Jordan and Claudia Rebaza contributed to this report.

28 hospitals release reports into abuse by Jimmy Savile of patients and staff . Health secretary: "Savile was a callous, opportunistic, wicked predator" Reports detail rapes, abuses and claims of sexual behavior with dead bodies . TV star used his popularity "to perpetrate and cover up his own evil acts," health secretary says .

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By . Corey Charlton . It is a beach litter cleanup even the kids could enjoy. Lego is continuing to wash up on the shores of Cornwall beaches 17 years after a container ship was struck by a freak wave and close to five million pieces were lost overboard. The Tokio Express was en-route from Rotterdam to New York on February 13, 1997, when a wild wave struck it 20 miles west of Land's End, tilting it back and forth at such a sharp degree it lost 62 containers. A collection of the tiny bits and pieces found scattered along the coast. There were almost five million pieces of Lego inside the container when it was lost overboard in the 1997 accident . Many of the Lego items that were lost overboard in the freak storm were sea-themed and some of the pieces most commonly found on local beaches are cutlasses, octopuses, scuba tanks and diving flippers . A Lego cutlass (left) and red poppies (right) which washed up on the beaches. Collectors have questioned just how far items could have travelled in the 17 years since the Tokio Express was caught in the storm . One of those lost containers held about five million pieces of Lego - a small and light enough object to be easily carried by ocean currents. And in an odd coincidence, a large proportion of the Lego pieces were sea-themed, so cutlasses, octopuses, scubas and flippers have been routinely washing up on Cornish beaches ever since. The ship's manifest revealed 4,756,940 pieces fell into the sea including 3,178,807 light enough to float. However, nobody has ever established what happened to the remaining containers. Spear guns (red and yellow) - 13,000 . Black octopus - 4,200 . Yellow life preserver - 26,600 . Diver flippers (in pairs, black, blue, red) - 418,000 . Dragons (black and green) - 33,941 . Brown ship rigging net - 26,400 . Daisy flowers (in fours - white, red, yellow) - 353,264 . Scuba and breathing apparatus (grey) - 97,500 . Tracey Williams, from Newquay, said: 'There's stories of kids in the late 1990s having buckets of dragons on the beach, selling them. 'These days the holy grail is an octopus or a dragon. I only know of three octopuses being found, and one was by me, in a cave in Challaborough. 'It's quite competitive. If you heard that your neighbour had found a green dragon, you'd want to go out and find one yourself.' US oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer has tracked the story of the Lego since it was spilled. He says reports of it reaching as far as Australia are not too far fetched as theoretically it could have reached any beach in the world by now. He said: 'The mystery is where they've ended up. After 17 years they've only been definitely reported off the coast of Cornwall. 'The most profound lesson I've learned from the Lego story is that things that go to the bottom of the sea don't always stay there.' The beach of Perranporth, in Cornwall, where thousands of the pieces of Lego have washed ashore . Dragons have become a rare find on the beaches nowadays, and as a result are highly sought after by locals . Finding an octopus on the beaches of Cornwall is now considered the 'holy grail' for local Lego hunters, who have spent years in the area searching for the tiny bits of plastic lost overboard in 1997 . An environmental campaigners say the legacy of the lost Lego illustrates how marine waste and litter floats around for years, posing a risk to wildlife and polluting our seas. Latest figures show an average of 2,683 containers are lost at sea every year. Martin Dorey, organiser of the 2 Minute Beach Clean group, which encourages people to pick up litter on beaches, said: 'I know it's not their fault, it's the way the ships are stacked. 'But while container spills are all resolved from the insurance point of view, it's not resolved from the marine point of view.'

Ship en-route to New York was hit by freak wave with 62 containers lost . Among the lost cargo was a container filled with millions of bits of Lego . The tiny pieces have been washing up on Cornwall beaches ever since .

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By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 06:15 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:54 EST, 21 March 2013 . A police officer was killed and four others seriously injured when two helicopters crashed into each other during a riot training exercise above Berlin's Olympic Stadium. Both vehicles were reduced to fiery hulks when they smashed into a field adjoining the stadium during a snowstorm.  Reports suggest that the vehicles flew too close to one another while one was descending and their rotors clashed. The helicopters, thought to be carrying up to 25 police officers each, were taking part in a training exercise dealing with football violence and crowd control. Scroll down for video . Devastation: Two crashed helicopters on the field of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin . Response: Police officers rush to the scene after the crash in which one police officer died and another four were seriously injured . Football ground: The Olympic Stadium in Berlin is also home to the Hertha Berlin Bundesliga football club . Exercise: The two helicopters can be seen lying beside each other. The officers are believed to have been taking part in a football violence and crowd control exercise . The Olympic Stadium, which is now home to the Hertha Berlin Bundesliga football club, was the focal point of the Olympic Games in 1936, dubbed Hitler's Games. It also hosted the World Cup final in 2006. Fireworks were reportedly being let off to create riot conditions when the collision occurred.  One pilot was pictured walking away from the wreckage of his craft with blood streaming down his face from a head wound. As well as the serious injuries and fatality, media reports spoke of 'many others' being hurt. The crash between the Puma helicopters happened at 10.40am this morning. Some 400 police officers were on the ground and dashed to the nearby fields to help their stricken comrades when they saw the aircraft go down in flames. Reports suggest that the crash happened when one helicopter was preparing to land and . did not notice the other beneath it. The machines were no more than . 100 feet off the ground when they collided, while it is understood that the dead pilot . was at the controls of the lower aircraft. Alex Lier, a reporter for the Bild newspaper who was at the scene, said: 'Everyone is in shock. Three helicopters were airborne in a real snowstorm. 'Then one heard a loud bang and someone shouted: 'Everyone get down!' There was blood and wreckage everywhere.' The helicopters are part of a fleet operated by the Federal Police - the national force - as opposed to the local Berlin police.  An immediate inquiry is underway into the cause of the crash as local hospitals deal with the casualties. One of the helicopter pilots died at . the scene, fire service spokesman Stephan Fleischer said, who confirmed . that five people were injured, four of them seriously. A female police officer is among the four severely wounded in the crash. Disaster: There were 25 police officers in each of the Puma helicopters, with reports suggesting they flew too close to each other . Injuries: One of the injured officers is helped away from the scene. Reports suggested that 'many more' had been injured . Federal Police spokesman Frank . Brochert confirmed there 'was an incident during an exercise' and that . emergency crews were on the scene. He had no details about the accident. Fire . service spokesman Sven Gerling said his initial information was that . two helicopters crashed, but he had no further details on the accident. It was not immediately clear whether the injured people were in the helicopters, Mr Fleischer said. Pictures from the scene showed one of . the helicopters lying on its side in the snow in a field behind the . stadium and the other next to it, still upright. Eyewitness Johannes Malinowski said . on n-tv television that he saw three helicopters approaching and that . the snow on the field was being kicked up by the aircraft, so 'you . couldn't see a whole lot anymore'. There was then 'a big bang' he said, 'and then we looked up and there was blood on the ground'. The training exercise being conducted was thought to have related to football violence. Germany's main police union is calling for clarification why the training exercise was green-lighted when the weather was so bad in Berlin. The president of the GdP union said: 'We need answers.  But immediately our sympathies and concern lie with the survivors and for the family of the dead officer.  We wish a speedy and full recovery to our injured colleagues.' The Olympic Stadium in West Berlin was constructed in 1936 . Training: There are thought to have been a further 400 officers from the Federal Police on the ground during the exercise . Confusion: Fireworks had been let off inside the stadium to recreate the atmosphere of a riot, according to some reports . Wreckage: Eyewitness Johannes Malinowski said on n-tv television that he saw three helicopters approaching and that the snow on the field was being kicked up by the aircraft, so 'you couldn't see a whole lot anymore' Major stadium: A view from inside the stadium taken during the 2006 FIFA World Cup . The design and construction of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin was overseen by Nazi ruler Adolf Hitler, which was the focal point of the Olympic Games in 1936. German athletes won more gold medals than any other nation at the tournament, prompting Hitler to say that when the war was won, every Olympic Games would take place in Germany. After the Games Hitler told Albert Speer, an architect and later his Armaments Minister who worked on the original stadium, . to produce blueprints for a new stadium seating 400,000 people. Despite its modern remodelling, including a roof and moveable . seating, the stadium is recognisably the same as that which hosted the 1936 Games. The Games represented the one arena in which Hitler's ambition to . rule victorious over the rest of the civilised world would actually be . accomplished, albeit only in the world of athletics. The stadium is the biggest and best-preserved example of Nazi . architecture in Berlin, and was built as an expression of German might. Hitler opened the Games on August 1, 1936, between two tall, imposing . stone towers which look like fortified turrets, with the five rings of . the Olympic symbol strung between them. That summer's day, conscious that he cut a rather sorry figure in . civilian dress, Hitler wore his usual brown uniform with a peaked cap, . baggy trousers, knee-length leather boots and swastika armband. Show of strength: A Hitler Youth meeting in the Olympic Stadium, Berlin, designed for the 1936 Games . He walked beneath a 220ft-high stone belltower, its . nine-and-a-half-ton bell inscribed, in Gothic letters, 'I call to the . Youth of the World'. A special truck had pulled it slowly across Germany to Berlin, . greeted throughout its journey with military parades, bands and . speeches. As Hitler marched slowly between the Olympic teams gathered just . outside on the vast open space of the May Field, he was filmed by the . camera teams of his favourite director, Leni Riefenstahl. From three miles away, loudspeakers positioned along his route had been intoning: 'He is coming. He is coming.' When he entered the stadium and ascended to the Ehrentribune, or seat . of honour, Hitler was greeted by a sea of swastikas and a thunderous . roar of adulation from the capacity crowd of  110,000 people. As the national teams marched past, the French were greeted with a . huge ovation for giving the Nazi salute, while the British, who refused . to give the salute, performing instead a military-style 'eyes right', . were received almost in silence. Despite the existence of concentration camps and brutal treatement of . Jews in Germany, with the exception of Stalin's Russia, who were not . invited, none of the Olympic teams chose to boycott Hitler's Games. A few individual athletes pulled out, but the prevailing sentiment . was summed up by the British gold medallist sprinter Harold Abrahams, . himself Jewish, who said: 'If the British team goes to Berlin, it will . be an influence for the good.' his was despite the fact that, since 1933, Jewish sportsmen and women . had been largely excluded from competing, except among themselves. Under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, the Germans . unwillingly allowed a couple of Jews, both women, to train for the . Olympics, though only one was permitted to participate.

The two Puma helicopters were taking part in a training exercise above Berlin's Olympic Stadium . Reports suggest that fireworks were being let off to recreate riot conditions as part of the exercise . Both helicopters were carrying 25 police officers each, while approximately 400 police officers were on the ground . Reports suggest that 'many others' were injured after aircraft are thought to have flown too close to each other . Reporter said there was a loud bang then somebody shouted: 'Everybody get down' Described 'blood and wreckage everywhere' and suggested helicopters were flying in a 'real snowstorm' Germany's main police union calling for clarification as to why exercise green-lighted in poor weather conditions .

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PARIS, France (CNN) -- The Air France plane that crashed a month ago off the coast of Brazil "did not break up or become destroyed in flight," but bellyflopped intact into the Atlantic Ocean, the French air investigation agency announced Thursday. Relatives and friends of an Air France steward follow his coffin during his funeral last week in Rio de Janeiro. "The plane went straight down, almost vertically... towards the surface of the water, very very fast," air accident investigator Alain Bouillard said. Based on visual study of the physical remains of the Airbus A330 that have been recovered, "we were able to see that the plane hit the surface of the water flat. Therefore everything was pushed upwards -- everything was pushed from the bottom to the top" of the plane, he said. The 228 people killed in the crash "had no time to prepare," he said. Watch more about Flight 447's descent » . But Bouillard said he did not have autopsy results from the bodies recovered, and did not know why no one lived through the crash. "I don't know why nobody survived," he said. "I don't know the intensity of the impact. Perhaps we will find out from the autopsies. Perhaps we will never know." Bouillard said it was still unclear what caused the crash, the deadliest in Air France's 75-year history. "Today we are very far from establishing the causes of the accident," he said. But there is no reason to ground Airbus A330 airplanes, he said. "There is no problem with flying these airplanes." Pressed by a reporter on why he was not ordering the model to stop flying, he said the fleet has flown millions of miles and there are currently 660 of them flying. "Statistically, this would answer the question," he said. Air France 447 was unable to fly on autopilot at the time of the crash, the investigator said. That was because the autopilot was not receiving speed, wind or direction information, he said. "These tell us that the plane has to be, in this case, directed by the pilot," he said. He did not immediately say if the pilots were in control of Air France 447. The last contact with the plane was at 2:10 a.m. local time on June 1. "Right after that 24 automated messages came through" about the status of the plane, he said. Those messages were what enabled investigators to determine that the autopilot would not have had enough information to fly the plane, he said. No air-traffic controllers seem to have been monitoring the flight when it went down, investigations have found. It would normally have been "handed over" from controllers in South America to others in Africa while flying over the Atlantic, but that did not happen, Bouillard said. "We want to know why there was no concern in Dakar (in Senegal, west Africa) when this plane was not handed over," he said. The plane was flying through severe storms when it went down. Three other flights on similar routes changed course within an hour after Air France 447 flew into the bad weather. A Spanish, French and German flight all experienced turbulence in the same region and diverted as much as 100 km (62 miles) off course to avoid bad weather, Bouillard said. All three flights had problems communicating with air traffic control. Investigators will continue searching for the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder -- commonly known as "black boxes" -- until July 10, said Bouillard, of the French air accident investigation agency known as the BEA. "They normally give a signal for 30 days. We will keep listening another 10 days," he said. Air France said Thursday it was of "capital importance" to find the recorders, "which would enable the investigators to analyze the causes of the accident, whatever these may be. No effort must be spared in achieving this end." Bouillard said investigators would continue to search even after the beacons on the recorders stop signaling, in what he called a "second phase" of the search. "If we could find a part of the plane that we know was near the black boxes, that will give us a clue about where to search," he said. The mountainous ocean floor in the search area ranges from 3,280 to 15,091 feet, BEA officials have said in the past, making the search for the recorders -- and the rest of the plane's debris -- difficult. "It is as if it fell in the Andes," Olivier Ferrante, chief of the BEA search mission said last month. French submarines and sensitive U.S. military listening devices are being used in the search. Flight 447 went down in stormy weather while flying from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Brazil called off the search for bodies on June 27, having found 51 of the 228 people who died when the plunged into the sea, according to the military. Investigators have also found more than 600 parts and structural components of the plane, along with luggage, Bouillard said. They have not found any clothing, he said, but was unable to say why.

Air France plane that crashed in June "did not break up in flight," officials say . Airbus A330 was unable to fly on autopilot at the time of the crash . Investigators will search for data recorders until July 10, investigator says . Plane wreckage believed to be on Atlantic seabed, around 4,500 meters deep .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:59 EST, 27 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:05 EST, 27 March 2013 . Google has picked 8,000 'winners' who will have a chance to wear the company's new internet-connected glasses ahead of the general public. The US winners will each have to pay 1,500 dollars (£995) if they want a test version of the product, called Google Glass and hailed as the latest in 'wearable computing.' They will also have to travel to New York, Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay area to pick up the device, which is not expected to be available on the mass market until late this year or early next year. Google has picked 8,000 people in the US who will have a chance to wear the company's new internet-connected glasses . The excitement stems from the belief that Google Glass is at the forefront of a new wave of technology known as 'wearable computing'. Google, Apple and several other companies are also working on internet-connected watches, according to reports citing people familiar with the projects. Google Glass is supposed to perform many of the same tasks as smartphones, except the glasses respond to voice commands instead of fingers touching a display screen. The glasses are equipped with a hidden camera and tiny display screen attached to a rim above the right eye. Google co-founder Sergey Brin walks the runway wearing the new product. The winners will each have to pay 1,500 dollars (£995) if they want a test version of the product, called Google Glass . The engineers who have been building Google Glass tout the technology as a way to keep people connected to their email, online social networks and other crucial information without having to frequently gaze down at the small screen on a smartphone. Google is developing a smart watch as well as its Glass wearable computer, it has been revealed. The search giant is set to use its Android software to power the gadget. It will battle against Apple's iWatch and a Samsung gadget the Korean giant revealed this week it is developing. It is believed watch is being built by Google's Android team, which usually works on handsets and tablets, rather than the 'X Lab' which is developing the Google Glass Wearable Computer and the driverless car. The hidden camera is designed to make it easy for people to take hands-free photos or video of whatever they are doing. Privacy watchdogs, though, are already worried that Google Glass will make it even more difficult for people to know when they are on camera. One contest winner promised to take Google Glass to Veteran Administration hospitals so soldiers who fought in the Second World War can see their memorials before they die. Another plans to wear Google Glass during a trip to Japan so she can take video and pictures that she can share with her grandmother, who lives in the US but would like to see her native country again. A zookeeper wants to use Google Glass to show what it is like to feed penguins and another contest winner plans to use the technology to provide maps that will help firefighters in emergencies. Google said the test, or 'Explorer' version of Glass, will help its engineers get a better understanding of how the technology might be used and make any necessary adjustments before the device hits the mass market. The company sold an unspecified number of Explorer models to computer programmers last year. The finished product is expected to cost between 700 and 1,500 dollars (£465-£995).

Winners will also have to travel to America to pick up the device . Google glass will arrive on mass market late this year or early next year . It is supposed to perform many of the same tasks as smartphones . But the glasses will react to the wearer's voice instead of hand control .

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We are always being told that being overweight is unhealthy. But new research suggests it could be good for you - if you're over 65. An Australian study shows that older people with a higher body mass index liver for longer. Elderly people who are overweight live for longer than those who are a 'healthy' weight . Scientists at Deakin University, in Melbourne, found people over the age of 65 who fell into the overweight category of BMI were least likely to die. They found that the lowest risk of death was among those with a BMI of about 27.5, which is considered overweight according to the World Health Organisation. They also found that mortality rates were much higher among those with a BMI between 22 and 23 – this is within the normal range. ‘It is time to reassess the healthy weight guidelines for older people,’ lead author Professor Caryl Nowson said. ‘Our results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer, indicating that the ideal body weight for older people is significantly higher than the recommended 18.5 to 25 “normal” healthy weight range.’ The research team reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2013 that reported on BMI and risk of death in people aged 65 years and over. Elderly people with a BMI of 27.5 - which is classed as overweight - live the longest . Collectively these studies followed around 200,000 people over an average of 12 years. The results showed that people with a ‘normal’ BMI of 21 to 22 were 12 per cent more likely to die. They also revealed that people with a BMI of 20 to 20.9 were 19 per cent more likely to die and people with a BMI of 33 to 33.9, which is classed as obese, were eight per cent more likely to die. Professor Nowson suggests that most older people need to get off the weight loss bandwagon. She said: ‘These findings indicate that, by current standards, being overweight is not associated with an increased risk of dying. ‘Rather, it is those sitting at the lower end of the normal range that need to be monitored, as older people with BMIs less than 23 are at increased risk of dying.’ Advice on ideal body weight should take into account factors other than BMI, Professor Nowson said. ‘Factors such as chronic diseases and the ability to move around need to be considered as there is no real issue with being in the overweight range unless it is preventing people from moving around freely,’ she added. ‘Rather than focussing on weight loss, older people should put their efforts into having a balanced diet, eating when hungry and keeping active. ‘Putting too much emphasis on dietary restrictions also increases the risk malnutrition in this age group. Malnutrition in older people is not well recognised as this can occur even when BMI is in the overweight range.’ The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Older people with a higher body mass index live for longer . Elderly people with a BMI of 27.5 live for the longest . Over 65s with a 'normal' BMI live for less time than fatter people . This could be because older people are at greater risk of malnutrition .

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An 11-year-old girl killed by a stray bullet is among the two dead and nearly two dozen other people wounded by yet another brutal night of gun violence in Chicago. Shamiya Adams was making s'mores inside a South Side home for a sleepover Friday night when a bullet went into the house and struck her in the head. A 30-year-old man was also shot dead, police said. An additional 20 people were injured across the city. As usual, the bulk of the violence occurred on the South and West Sides – a refrain that is now playing out on a nightly basis. Senseless: Shamiya Adams, 11, was killed by a stray bullet in front of her friends while making s'mores during a sleepover inside the home of her best friend . ‘They were just running around through the house, dancing. That's all they do is dance all the time. And dancing, dancing, dancing,’ homeowner Rosemarie Jones told WLS. Until a bullet came through the wall and struck Adams in the head, according to police, she was rushed to a nearby hospital and died Saturday morning. ‘The familiarity of laughter has been replaced by the familiarity of gunfire,’ Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a Saturday morning press briefing. The innocent girl was making s'mores with her friends when the bullet struck her, according to the Chicago Tribune. Her young friends saw the bullet strike her head. Hours after the girl was rushed to a hospital and as police still searched for her killer without any solid leads, marshmallows and chocolate bars were still scattered over the bed Adams and friends were on, according to the paper. Spattered traces of the 11-year-old girl's blood were observed just under a stuffed Tweety Bird doll hanging on the wall. Adams was enjoying her summer vacation with her friends like any other girl her age. 'They were just doing their girlie things,' a resident of the house who was not home at the time of the shooting told the paper. 'They heard shots and a bullet came through the window.' The children were likely inside because of how dangerous the city's West Side, where the home is, becomes on summer nights. Adams’ mother was protective of her to . the point the young girl was rarely allowed to go out, those who knew . her say. It was the 11-year-old’s first sleepover. ‘She . don't let Shamiya go much unless she go to family and then the first . time you let her go something like this happens? This is really eating . her up,’ Nanette Dailey told the station. Devastated: Shaneetha Goodloe, left, mother of 11-year-old Shamiya Adams who died after being shot Friday night, hugs some of Shamiya's friends during a Saturday vigil near the Chicago apartment building where Shamiya was hit by a stray bullet . On the scene: Police officers and detectives gather Friday night at the home where Adams was shot during a sleepover . ‘I . got nothing left to say to these moms,’ Emanuel continued. ‘I don't . know where they find the strength to go on, put one foot in front of . another. Because she had the... she wanted her daughter to play with her . friends. We're a better city than that.’ But statistics paint a different picture. Despite city officials infamously claiming “crime is down” earlier this year, murders are on pace to at least equal last year’s total. There have so far this year been 223 shooting deaths this year, according to an independent website that tracks crime and mayhem in Chicago. There were 454 shooting deaths in Chicago in 2013. The 223rd person shot to death this year in the city was an unidentified 30-year-old man found in a car parked in an alley at 10.00 p.m. by police – only half an hour after Adams was shot. He had multiple gunshot wounds to his neck, back and shoulder, according to the Chicago Tribune, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Point of entry: The stray bullet exit hole in the closet wall of the apartment where Adams killed while making s'mores with friends . Among the injured were four men who showed up with unexplained gunshot wounds at a West Side hospital, authorities said. Two 15-year-old boys were shot in unrelated incidents. One suffered only a wound to his leg, the Tribune reported. The other told doctors he was on a sidewalk when someone walked up and shot him in the arm and foot. A 26-year-old was shot after arguing with a male in a car parked on the same street corner where he was standing, cops said. The male got out of the car, opened fire and fled. No arrests have been made in any of the shootings.

Shamiya Adams was killed Friday night when a stray bullet blew threw the wall of a house she was inside for her first sleepover . The 11-year-old was making s'mores with friends when the bullet struck her in the head - young children saw the entire thing . A 30-year-old man was also found by police shot to death in a car parked in a grim alley .

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Dramatic footage of tragic James Bond stuntman Mark Sutton giving the thumbs up literally seconds before he dies has been released. The poignant video was taken from inside a helicopter as he prepared to jump out of it in a wingsuit. Released with the full consent of his family, the heartrending film shows Mark, 42, leaping from the helicopter to his death. Thumbs up: Mark Sutton gives the camera a gesture of approval before he exits the helicopter for what was to be his final jump . He died 20 seconds later. Mark, who wowed crowds as 007 at the Olympics opening ceremony, crashed into a mountain ridge at a speed of 155 mph. He was one of 23 world-class wingsuit pilots taking part in a non-competitive event in August in Trient, Switerland, near the French town of Chamonix. The event - HeliBASE 74 - was organised by EpicTV, an online extreme sports channel that has since made a series of films about it. Panu Lehti, Head of EpicTV, said: ‘When Mark died we were devastated and planned to shelve the whole project. 'But when the other pilots showed us that the best way to remember Mark was to think about what he would have wanted, we decided to go ahead with the series. One jump: Wearing patriotic blue, red and white, Mr Sutton looks out over the Alps . Ready: Although he observes the cloudiness below, Mark leaps off the helicopter . Final moment: Mark Sutton died seconds after this was filmed, aged 42, in the Swiss Alps . Incredible views: The helmet cameras of Mr Sutton's teammates capture the amazing heights they reach as they leap out of the helicopter . ‘We knew it would be difficult for his . family so before publishing this episode we showed it to his brother . Steve. It feels good to know we have the family behind us. HeliBASE 74 . is dedicated to the memory of Mark Sutton and to the strength of his . family and friends as well.’ Tragedy . struck on the first day of the event. It was Mark’s first jump. He was . partnered in the helicopter with another British wingsuiter, Tony . Uragallo. Moments from death: Sutton's bright wingsuit is visible as he falls through the sky in this grab from the video . The world-class stuntman tragically died moments after this video was shot . In the film, Tony movingly describes how the tragedy unfolded. He says: ‘Everyone is having a good time. It’s so nice to get out above a mountain. Normally we have to climb a mountain. ‘Mark suggested I follow him and I thought ‘that’s great’, because he’s a much better base jumper than me. ‘He’s right there, looking at me, looking at the spot. He’s telling the pilot ‘right, left, bit more, bit more…’ Nervous: In the last piece of footage before his crash Mr Sutton expresses his concerns about the foggy conditions at the beginning of the scheduled day's jump . Poignant: In another scene Mark Sutton, centre in black jacket, is shown listening with his fellow pilots to the safety briefing given before the group start their jumps . Mark was one of 23 world-class wingsuit pilots taking part in a non-competitive event in August in Trient, Switerland . Mark, dressed in his red, white and blue wingsuit, can be seen edging along the back seat of the chopper towards the open door. He gestures to the pilot to veer right then puts his right thumb up and climbs out of the helicopter. Mark launches himself off the side of the helicopter and he is seen free falling, followed closely by Tony. Footage shows two colourful specks plummeting through the cloud. Tony . says: ‘He turns and he jumps and I just followed him. He can follow the . terrain a lot better than me and I’ll just follow his line. ‘And then he just suddenly turned left real quick. And I couldn’t believe it.’ Tony is then seen landing in a field. He . says: ‘I landed close to everyone and I shouted out: ‘Mark hit the . mountain.’ That destroys everything. Everybody is so upset. People in . tears.’ Proud: After his James Bond stunt last year, Mark Sutton's girlfriend Victoria Homewood posted this photo on her Facebook with the message: 'My very handsome 007 xxx' Recalling the moment . he realized Mark had died, fellow wingsuit pilot Colombian Jhonathan . Florez says: ‘It’s just so real. Our worst fear was actually happening.’ Norwegian wingsuiter Espen Fadnes says: ‘Tony is landing with this face of confusion and shock.’ Repeatedly drawing his fingers across his throat, he adds: ‘He’s giving me the sign.’ Referring . to Tony going back up in the helicopter to pinpoint Mark’s location, he . adds: ‘They can see from the heli that there is no point for them to go . down and do anything about it. ‘I feel sadness, confusion, shock.’ Tony says: ‘Mark dying like that was just horrifying. Mark was my hero.’ Tony, who has since retired, adds: ‘I am going to go and buy a ranch in Montana and raise horses.’ Austrian . wingsuiter Hubert Schober, who jumped from the same helicopter as Mark . minutes before, says: ‘It’s Mark you know.  It’s not like anyone. We’ve . been in the chopper with him. I’d seen him two minutes before. You shake . hands. You say: ‘Good flight. Rip it. Tear it up.’ And then two minutes . later you go like: ‘What?’’ Killed: . Mark Sutton, centre, the daredevil who amazed the world when he . parachuted into the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony dressed as . James Bond has died after a stunt went wrong. Pictured here with Gary . Connery, right, the skydiving 'Queen' last summer . It . was Mark’s first jump of the day. Earlier in the film, Mark is seen . looking up to the sky and saying apprehensively: ‘It’s covered in . cloud.’ It is not known whether the weather conditions that day were a factor in Mark’s death. EpicTV, . an online extreme sports channel, organised the three-day event. They . have made a four-part film called Risking Everything For The Ultimate . Flight – HeliBASE 74. The . company paid for the participants’ travel, accommodation and helicopter . flights in return for rights to all footage taken during the event. They . were each fitted with a number of tiny cameras. All participants had signed a disclaimer. Mark shot to fame last year during the opening ceremony for the London Olympics. He was dressed as James Bond and fellow stuntman Gary Connery doubled as the Queen as they parachuted into the stadium. The . stunt came after billions of viewers worldwide watching the opening . ceremony saw a film of Daniel Craig, dressed in a dinner suit as James . Bond, call at Buckingham Palace and be joined by the real Queen. Mark was one of the best-known figures in BASE jumping. Mark and his fellow wingsuiters had been staying in Chamonix, France, and had crossed over into Switzerland to wingsuit jump. He had travelled to France with his girlfriend Victoria Homewood, 39.

Mark Sutton, 42, died during a wingsuit jump in the Swiss Alps . The stuntman played James Bond at Olympics opening ceremony . The video shows him, giving thumbs up before jumping to his death .

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(Rolling Stone) -- "All Is By My Side" -- the Jimi Hendrix biopic currently being shot in Ireland, starring Outkast's Andre Benjamin (a.k.a. Andre 3000) -- will feature new recordings of Benjamin covering the Beatles, Muddy Waters and more, producers tell Rolling Stone. The film will not, however, include any songs written by Hendrix, the rights to which are controlled by the late guitarist's estate. Last month, Experience Hendrix LLC, which oversees the Hendrix estate, issued a statement regarding the movie, which has been in production for four months. The company, which is run by Hendrix's sister Janie, said that it "has made it known many times in the past that no such film, were it to include original music or copyrights created by Jimi Hendrix, can be undertaken without its full participation." Instead, the film -- set in London in 1966 and 1967 -- will include Benjamin's new versions of covers that Hendrix performed during those years, shortly before the release of his landmark debut, "Are You Experienced." Audiences will see Benjamin singing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (which Hendrix famously performed in a London club with members of the Beatles in the audience), "Wild Thing," "Hound Dog," Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" and Elmore James' "Bleeding Heart," plus two songs, "Future Trip" and "Driving South," that Hendrix played as a backup musician for Curtis Knight and the Squires. The remakes were cut in Los Angeles by a session-legend power trio including Waddy Wachtel (who's played guitar for Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt), Leland Sklar (bassist for James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Phil Collins), and Kenny Aronoff (former John Mellencamp drummer). Danny Bramson, a longtime music supervisor who won a Grammy for his work on the "Almost Famous" soundtrack, oversaw the music. "All Is By My Side" is currently shooting in Dublin, Ireland, where co-producer Sean McKittrick says it was "easier...to recreate 1967 London." Principal photography is expected to wrap this week, and producers then hope to take the film to Sundance in early 2013 for possible release next year. A soundtrack album featuring the Benjamin-sung covers is also in discussion. "Andre has been Jimi for four months now," McKittrick says. "He speaks and walks like Jimi. He dropped a ton of weight. The transformation has been amazing." If the movie were to include songs Hendrix wrote, like "Purple Haze" or "The Wind Cries Mary," the producers would have needed permission from Experience Hendrix, which owns the copyrights to the material. But according to McKittrick, the film was always set in Hendrix' pre-fame era, so neither he or his team ever approached the Hendrix estate. "This is the story of Jimi being discovered as a backup musician and how he went to London and became Jimi Hendrix," says the producer. McKittrick says that focusing on early stories about Hendrix -- like the times he jammed with Cream and met Eric Clapton -- is preferable to a biopic about Hendrix's full life story. "That would be like making a movie about Kurt Cobain," he says. "We all know how that story ends." A spokesperson for Experience Hendrix tells Rolling Stone that the company had no idea the movie would include non-Hendrix songs. "They want to make a Jimi Hendrix movie without Jimi Hendrix music," says the estate representative. "It would be like making a movie about Lincoln without being able to use the Gettysburg Address." Music industry sources confirm that the filmmakers are legally in the clear as long as licenses are in place for the non-Hendrix songs. "They're absolutely in the right as long as they got the licenses for those songs," says Conrad Rippy, a music business lawyer who represents the estates of Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley. "They don't need to get the approval of the Hendrix estate for that." See the full story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone.

The Jimi Hendrix biopic starring Outkast's Andre Benjamin is currently being shot in Ireland . It will feature new recordings of Benjamin covering the Beatles, Muddy Waters and more . The film will not include any songs written by Hendrix .

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Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Over the past few days, anti-Gadhafi forces have made "significant advances" -- in the northwest and in the regions of Misrata and al-Brega -- a spokesman for NATO's military operation told reporters Tuesday. "Anti-Gadhafi forces are now assuming control of the key approaches to Tripoli," said Col. Roland Lavoie, who described the advances as "the most significant anti-Gadhafi territorial gain we have seen in months." Since the end of July, as the threat from pro-Gadhafi forces has diminished, thousands of people have returned to their homes in the western Nafusa mountains, he said. Since Friday, the northwest coastal city of Misrata has been free of pro-Gadhafi forces, he said. And the threat from nearby Zlitan has diminished as pro-Gadhafi forces are being pushed farther west, he added. Over the last week, NATO warplanes have damaged or destroyed some 150 military targets as part of Operation Unified Protector, Lavoie said. "Our assessment, without going into details, is that the Gadhafi regime does not have anymore an effective operational capability," he said. Lavoie said that rebels had occupied Surman and Sabratha west of Tripoli, but added that the regions were "still contested." However, Libyan state television reported that pro-Gadhafi forces and tribal fighters were "cleansing the city of Sabratha from the gangs of traitors" and had secured the coastal road, a key supply pipeline into Tripoli. Though the center of Zawiya was under rebel control, "there's still reports of fighting also in the suburbs," Lavoie said. Still, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed optimism. "I think the sense is that Gadhafi's days are numbered," she told reporters in Washington. But a spokesman for the Gadhafi government offered a different view. "We are doing very well," Ibrahim Musa told reporters. "It's true that it's a bit slow -- people are still saying that we're not acting immediately and that we're having problems in Surman and Sabratha and whatnot because of armed gangs. That's true but, God willing, we are able to lead this battle successfully. We will achieve peace and victory." He added, "We are fighting NATO -- not the tens or hundreds of armed gang members. Our war is with the crusaders." If rebels gain control of Zawiya, that would be a major stride in putting a stranglehold on the Gadhafi-controlled seat of power. "We will be very careful entering Tripoli, which we hope to do by the end of this month," said Col. Ahmed Banni, military spokesman for the opposition National Transitional Council. Banni said there is intelligence that some Gadhafi forces are moving to Tripoli from other fronts -- Terhouna in the southeast and Sirte farther east. He said those forces have taken off their uniforms to blend in with the population, a "dangerous" sign those troops are preparing for a "bloody war." He said rebels in Tripoli recently were supplied with arms. But, he said, "We asked them to stay put until the zero hour." Col. Jumma Ibrahim, a spokesman for the rebels' western command, said Gadhafi forces controlled most of the eastern part of the city and were shelling rebels with Grad missiles and artillery. "There are still skirmishes with the brigades in the city center, with snipers taking positions," Col. Ibrahim said. "The fight is now urban warfare there at the moment. There have been a lot injured among our ranks but it is hard to give a number." The rebels claim control of towns west of Zawiya to near Ras Jedeir. These include Surman and Subratha. "It is a huge deal and a decisive defeat for his forces in that region. All these areas are liberated," Banni said. Col. Ibrahim said Garyan, south of Tripoli's city center, had been taken by rebels but Gadhafi loyalists were shelling them from a nearby town. There has been "fierce fighting" in Terhouna. He said rebel forces were surrounding Zlitan in the south, east and northeast and fighting Gadhafi forces. He said there's been fighting in the industrial area of al-Brega, where rebels control the residential areas except for one controlled by the Gadhafi government. Gadhafi forces also control the industrial area, Banni said. "He is trying his hardest to prevent us from access to $35 million worth of daily oil money under normal circumstances in al-Brega," Banni said. "If we control the port and the refinery in the industrial area, we'd have that money." CNN's Amir Ahmed, Jomana Karadsheh, Kareem Khadder and Matthew Chance contributed to this report.

The battle for Zawiya is called "urban warfare" Rebel forces in Tripoli are awaiting the "zero hour," a spokesman says . Some Gadhafi forces are going to Tripoli from other fronts . Secretary of State Clinton expresses optimism .

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(CNN) -- A Holland America cruise ship was disrupted early Saturday morning by an intoxicated passenger who released the ship's anchor, according to an affidavit obtained by The Smoking Gun website. California resident Rick Ehlert, 44, released the anchor and a life buoy between 5:25 a.m. and 5:55 a.m., according to the affidavit. The MS Ryndam was unharmed, but the release of the anchor could have caused "significant damage to the ship's rudder or propeller, which could disable the ship's ability to maneuver, or puncturing of the ship, which could result in sinking or severe flooding," according to the affidavit. The ship was traveling from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Tampa, Florida. A surveillance video shows Ehlert taking multiple steps to deploy the anchor while the ship was in motion. The MS Ryndam's maximum speed is 22 knots, which is approximately 25 mph, according to Holland America's website. Ehlert confessed to dropping the ship's anchor when questioned by special agents from the FBI. He admitted to being intoxicated at the time and detailed the multiple steps he took in deploying the anchor, including entering an area marked as off-limits to passengers. "There is probable cause to believe on November 27 that Rick Ehlert did attempt to damage, destroy, disable, or wreck a vessel," FBI agent John Manning stated in the affidavit. Ehlert was arrested Sunday on a felony charge and taken into custody. He has not yet hired an attorney, according to the office of the magistrate who is handling the case.

An intoxicated passenger on a Holland America cruise ship released the ship's anchor . The ship was unharmed, but the release of the anchor could have ultimately sunk the ship . Rick Ehlert, 44, confessed to dropping the anchor and was taken into custody .

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By . Dan Bloom . Jeremy Clarkson claims the BBC has put him on his final warning for 'appearing' to use the n-word in unaired Top Gear footage - and he will be sacked if he ever makes an offensive remark again. The 54-year-old admitted 'not even the angel Gabriel' could survive after the threat - especially not a presenter renowned for controversy. And despite begging for forgiveness less than two days ago for the clip of him saying the nursery rhyme Eeny Meeny Miny Mo, Clarkson also claimed the Corporation had forced him to apologise and he did not want to. Scroll down for video . Apology: Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson said he had made . every effort to make sure he did not use the racist slur in a video less than two days ago - but has now said the apology was the BBC's idea and he didn't want to . Warning: The presenter, pictured apologising, said he is now on his final warning from the Corporation . Mr Clarkson, shown filming for Top Gear, when it is alleged he used the n-word - a claim he denies . Writing in his weekly column in The Sun, the presenter compared the apology to saying sorry for starting the Syrian civil war because they were both things he had not done. 'I've been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked,' he wrote. 'And even the angel Gabriel would struggle to survive with that hanging over his head. 'It's inevitable that one day, someone, somewhere will say that I've offended them, and that will be that.' He also wrote: 'Happily, the BBC had a plan. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very good one. 'An apology is a good idea if you've just spilled some beer down someone's shirt...But saying sorry for using the most racist word of them all, and hoping the story would die down as a result?' The pressure to apologise even went against the advice of his own lawyer, he claimed. A solemn-looking Jeremy Clarkson said the item was recorded a 'couple of years ago' and said he 'did everything in my power to make sure that that version did not appear in the programme that was transmitted' Eventually, he said, he agreed to say sorry and insisted that when he did, he meant it from the heart. In his weekly column the presenter added he had 'become Hitler' and was being attacked by people calling for him to join sex offender Max Clifford in jail. The star became embroiled in controversy after unaired footage of him using the nursery rhyme to compare two sports cars was leaked to the media. Historically the rhyme was 'Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a n***** by his toe', and Clarkson said he 'mumbled' in two takes to avoid using the racist term - which made it sound like he was saying it. In the third, which was broadcast, he said the word 'teacher' instead. An online petition calling for the BBC presenter to be sacked has reached more than 1,000 signatures. Intervention: Deputy Labour leader . Harriet Harman (left) has called for the BBC to sack Clarkson over his . so-called use of the 'N-word' but Education Secretary Michael Gove (right) has . urged him to be kept . Labour figures including deputy leader Harriet Harman also demanded he should be sacked. 'Anybody who uses the N-word in public or private in whatever context has no place in the British Broadcasting Corporation,' she wrote on Twitter. And Labour MP Chris Bryant wrote: 'Clarkson announces he has one last chance. He's been in that saloon so long now he must be hammered.' But Education Secretary Michael Gove urged the BBC not to axe Clarkson because he had been 'clear in his apology'. And the Prime Minister appeared to agree. Mr Cameron's official spokesman said: 'He does . share the Education Secretary's view: it is absolutely right that there . has been an apology.' Pressed on whether he also shared the . view he should keep his job, he replied: 'His view is that in terms of . actions and the like, that's for the BBC.' Denial: The BBC presenter's first tweet immediately after the storm broke earlier this week . Row: Former newspaper editor Piers Morgan has tweeted regularly about a man who is often his nemesis . In his video apology - which he said took hours to complete because he could not remember his Twitter password - Clarkson said he 'did everything in my power to not use that word'. He added he was now 'begging your forgiveness for the fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough'. 'I was mortified by this, horrified. It is a word I loathe,' he said. Controversy: The Top Gear presenter is regularly accused of being offensive . The BBC previously said it had 'left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this'. The claims come days after the motoring show's producer apologised for broadcasting a 'light-hearted' joke by Clarkson that sparked a complaint of racism. An episode filmed in Burma and Thailand featured a scene in which the presenters built a bridge over the River Kwai, and as an Asian man walked over it Clarkson said: 'That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it.' Somi Guha, an actress who complained to the BBC, said the use of the word 'slope' was an example of 'casual racism' and 'gross misconduct'. In recent years Clarkson has been cleared of breaching the broadcasting code by watchdog Ofcom after comparing a Japanese car to people with growths on their faces. He previously faced a storm of protest from mental health charities after he branded people who throw themselves under trains as 'selfish' and was forced to apologise for telling BBC1's The One Show that striking workers should be shot. The motoring show has also faced complaints from Indian and Mexican politicians over remarks made about their countries while filming on location. A BBC spokesman told MailOnline today: 'We have nothing to add to the statement issued on Thursday.' That statement said: 'Jeremy Clarkson has set out the background to this regrettable episode. 'We have made it absolutely clear to him, the standards the BBC expects on air and off. 'We have left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this.' 'Ordinarily I don't respond to newspaper allegations, but on this occasion I feel I must make an exception. 'A couple of years ago I recorded an item for Top Gear, in which I quoted the rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe. 'Now, of course, I was well aware that in the best known version of this rhyme, there is a racist expression that I was extremely keen to avoid. 'The full rushes show that I did three takes. 'In two I mumbled where the offensive word would normally occur and in the third, I replaced it all together with the word "teacher". 'Now when I viewed this footage, several weeks later, I realised that in one of the mumbled versions, if you listen very carefully with the sound turned right up, it did appear that I'd actually used the word I was trying to obscure. 'I was mortified by this, horrified, it is a word I loathe. 'And I did everything in my power to make sure that that version did not appear in the programme that was transmitted. 'In fact, I have here the note I sent at the time to the production office. 'And it says, "I didn't use the n-word here but I've just listened through my headphones and it sounds like I did. Is there another take that we could use?" 'Please be assured I did everything in my power to not use that word. 'And as I'm sitting here begging your forgiveness for that fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough. 'Thank you.'

He said he will be dropped if he makes a remark 'anywhere, at any time' Presenter with long history of stirring controversy said it is unavoidable . Top Gear host 'begged' for forgiveness for appearing to use racist word . Today he also said apology was BBC's idea and 'it wasn't a very good' one . More than 1,000 sign sacking petition as Michael Gove and PM defend him .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:35 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 20 February 2013 . An Italian woman has demanded an apology from Silvio Berlusconi after he crudely joked with her about sex, days before a national election. The former Prime Minister asked the woman at a corporate event how many times she enjoyed sex and if he could look at her bottom. He made his remarks in front of a giggling crowd of business people, male and female. Silvio Berlusconi with Angela Bruno who wants the former Prime Minister to apologise for his comments . Angela Bruno, a 30-year-old employee of a renewable energy firm, was presenting a contract to Berlusconi at a recent ceremony when the former prime minister asked her suggestive questions in front of senior colleagues, staff and members of the public. 'Do you come?...only once?...how many times do you come?...with what sort of time intervals?,' he asked her with a smirk on his face. At the time she went along with the banter giggling nervously as the audience roared with laughter. 'It sounds altogether like a good proposal,' he continued. He then asked her to turn around, took a look at her bottom and said, 'Yes, it is a convincing offer', prompting a round of applause and more laughter from men and women in the audience. Berlusconi commented on her appearance and sex life in front of a room of her peers . A video of the exchange has been viewed more than 950,000 times on YouTube and has sparked outrage on social networks. Miss Bruno told an Italian TV channel that her 13-year-old daughter had cried for days after seeing a video of the encounter, and the response it provoked. 'I want an apology for all Italian women because they should not have to suffer insults like this, at work or outside work,' she said. 'This is the Italy I don’t want any more and I hope no one wants.' The 76-year-old media tycoon, who is on trial for sex with an underage prostitute, stepped down as prime minister in November 2011 at the height of the euro zone debt crisis, but is now seeking a fifth term in government in the February 24-25 vote. Roughly two years ago, more than a million Italians joined street rallies in protest against his treatment of women while serving as prime minister, after details of the 'Bunga Bunga' sex parties at his Milan villa began to emerge. Bruno told Italian television on Monday evening that she had tried to keep the conversation on a professional level but had been too intimidated to reprimand Berlusconi in public due to his position of power and the presence of senior staff. In the interview, the married mother-of-one said she had been offended and embarrassed and demanded the apology. 'He may think he is joking but he has to be a serious person if he wants to represent Italy. He can’t get away with presenting an image like this,' Bruno said. Berlusconi did apologise in an interview on Radio 105 on Tuesday, but also said that Bruno had seemed to enjoy herself at the time. He urged her to stop reading leftwing newspapers, which he said had exaggerated the seriousness of the exchange. Italy is about to go to the polls, with a general election taking place this coming weekend.

Angela Bruno, 30, was subjected to lewd comments as she tried to present a contract to Berlusconi . The former Prime Minister commented on her appearance and sex life . Bruno wants him to apologise to her and all the women of Italy .

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Before Robin Williams took his own life last week, the Oscar-winning actor recorded a video message of hope, support and ‘love’ to a woman in a hospice with a terminal illness. When 21-year-old Vivian Waller was diagnosed in January with lung, bowel and liver cancer, she included a meeting with Williams on a ‘bucket list’ of the things she hoped to achieve before  she died. Her condition deteriorated and she was too sick to travel from her native Auckland, New Zealand, to America, so one of her friends contacted the  63-year-old comedian and he agreed to record a short video clip which he emailed to the family a few months ago. Scroll down for video . Shortly before he died, Robin Williams recorded a video message of hope, support and 'love' for a . woman in New Zealand who is in a hospice with a terminal illness . The Oscar-winning actor, who was found dead on Monday, recorded the video so . Vivian Waller, 21, could cross a meeting with the star off her 'bucket . list' of things she wanted to achieve before she died . ‘Hi Vivian . . . it’s Robin Williams here saying, “Hey girl, what’s going on down there in New Zealand?”,’ Williams says in the message. ‘I’m sending all my love  to you . . . knock this off your bucket list.’ Williams (pictured blowing Vivian a kiss) then broke into brief song, explaining that he’s ‘channelling Matthew McConaughey’ [the dashing actor] before signing off with — ‘much love to you, baby’. Vivian’s husband, Jack, whom she married in February, says she was thrilled beyond belief with Williams’s message. He has, though, yet to discuss the actor’s suicide with her, because it’s too sensitive a subject. ‘We are just enjoying the time we have together,’ he says. ‘We take things a day at a time.’ In the video, the comedian - who puts on a trademark accent - says: 'Hi Vivian, it's Robin Williams here saying "Hey girl, what's going on down there in New Zealand?"' He ends the touching video by breaking into song, explaining that he is . 'channelling Matthew McConaughey' - a fellow Hollywood actor - before blowing Vivian a kiss . Jack told stuff.co.nz that he decided to open up about the message from Williams because 'we love him, we want to show people how awesome a person he was'. The pair married in February after fundraisers from around New Zealand donated enough money in just 10 days to pay for their wedding. They are now fundraising for their daughter's future. Their daughter Sophie celebrated her first birthday a few months later. Vivian Waller, pictured with her husband Jack, from Auckland, New Zealand, was diagnosed with terminal lung, bowel and liver cancer in January this year . The 21-year-old, pictured left and right, became too ill to travel to America to meet Williams. Her husband said the video showed 'what an awesome person he was' Vivian and Jack (pictured left with daughter Sophie and right when she is older) married in February after fundraisers donated enough money in just 10 days to pay for them. They are now fundraising for their daughter's future . Williams, 63, was found dead at his San Francisco mansion on Monday. Authorities said his death was suicide. His death came after years of battling depression and anxiety, as well as an . addiction to cocaine and alcohol. In a statement after his death, Williams' wife, Susan Schneider, said the beloved comedy actor was also battling the early stages of Parkinson's disease when he took his life. Teenager Jessica Cole spent a day with Robin Williams, pictured, two weeks before she died. He chartered a private jet to go and see the girl when she became too ill to travel . According to the widow, Williams wasn't ready to share the diagnosis with the world. She added that his 'sobriety was intact' at the time of his death. Since the actor's death, a number of people have come forward with inspiring stories about how he touched their lives. Mark Cole told how Robin Williams once chartered a private plane to pay a surprise visit to meet his terminally-ill daughter Jessica after she became too sick to visit him on set. Robin Williams in Patch Adams, where he played a doctor who helped patients by making them laugh. The actor showed extaordinary kindness to real-life patients . She had been a huge fan of Mrs Doubtfire - one of his most popular roles - and had requested to meet him through the Make-A-Wish foundation. Garry Kravit, whose nephew David Buist was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, also called the star a 'comedic Mother Theresa'. Mr Kravit told how he met Robin Williams at an event and asked him for autographed items for their fundraising efforts. Williams went much further and started calling David to help keep his spirits up as his condition deteriorated. Mr Kravit said: 'When David was suffering at his worst, Robin would call him to perk him up. David treasured Robin's calls and it helped to push him forward.' He also told how Williams even invited the pair to a filming of a comedy special in New York in 2004, where 'he spent 20 minutes hugging him'.

Late actor recorded the video for Vivian Waller from Auckland, New Zealand . The 21-year-old was diagnosed with lung, bowel and liver cancer in January . Meeting Williams was on her 'bucket list' of things to do before she died . He said: 'Hey girl, what's going down in New Zealand?' before blowing a kiss . Williams committed suicide after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease .

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Randy Allen Taylor, 48, who has been charged in connection with missing teen Alexis Murphy, may have links with Samantha Clarke, 19, who is also missing . The suspect in the case of missing teenager Alexis Murphy may be linked to the disappearance of another teenage girl, a lawyer has said. Randy Taylor, 48, has been charged with the abduction of the missing 17-year-old Alexis, who has was last spotted by a camera in Lovingston, Nelson County, at a gas station where Taylor was also spotted. While Alexis, a student at Nelson County High School, has not yet been found, investigators are also looking at the case of Samantha Clarke, 19, who has been missing from her home in neighboring Orange County for three years. Orange County commonwealth's attorney Diane Wheeler said Taylor was the last person known to have had contact with Miss Clarke before she disappeared on September 13 2010. A graduate of Orange County High School, Miss Clarke had told her brother she was going out for the evening but never returned. Ms Wheeler told the Huffington Post: 'He was the person who last had contact with her ... He had multiple contacts with her in the days immediately preceding her disappearance... 'The investigation is still continuing and he remains a person of interest to us.' Taylor is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail after he was arrested on Monday on suspicion of abduction by force. He appeared in court yesterday on the felony charge and investigators are currently examining his camo-wrapped car and a camper found at his home near Lovingston. Unlike Miss Clarke, Alexis is not thought to have known Taylor. Her last Twitter entry at 6.40pm on August 3 read: 'I actually look cute right now' and she was later picked up by the gas station CCTV camera at 7.15pm. Three days later police found Miss Aleixs' abandoned Nissan in Charlottesville, 39 miles from the gas station. Alexis Murphy, 17, has not been seen since August 3; Taylor has been charged in connection with her disappearance . Missing: Samantha Clarke, 19, was last seen nearly three years ago when she left her home in Orange County . They are also looking at footage said to show Taylor in Ultimate Bliss, an adult store two miles from where the Nissan was found, on the day Alexis went missing. One man has told how he saw Taylor sitting in his vehicle in the Lovingston Food Lion parking lot, opposite the gas station where Alexis was seen. Bruce Johnson told a reporter he had seen the suspect watching people from inside his suburban. FBI agents search for clues on Alexis' white Nissan Maxima in the Charlottesville parking lot where it was found . Taylor's camo-wrapped suburban is being inspected by forensics officers while he awaits his next court date . He told NBC29.com: 'He was just sitting in that parking lot watching and that kind of was strange to me... 'A suburban with antennas on it, camouflage down the side of it - that's kind of suspicious because I've never seen that vehicle around here before.' Taylor is next due in court in January for a preliminary hearing.

Randy Taylor, 48, has been charged over disappearance of Alexis, 17 . Missing Alexis, from Nelson County, has not been seen since August 3 . Lawyer says Taylor was last person to see Samantha Clarke, also missing . Miss Clarke was 19 when she disappeared from Orange County in 2010 . Neither young woman has been found and police continue to investigate .

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By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 11:38 PM on 18th January 2012 . Two thugs involved in an attack on an innocent man in the street which put him in hospital for a month were spared prison after telling a judge they were sorry for their actions. Quite how long that remorse lasted is apparent from this picture. Emerging from court, Daniel Chrapkowski gleefully punched the air with both hands and danced on the steps, while his accomplice Thomas Lane made an obscene gesture and squared up to reporters and photographers. Yob: Daniel Chrapkowski celebrates outside Manchester Crown Court after he escaped jail for his part in the drunken street attack . Glee: Thomas Lane swears at photographers as he leaves the court with a non-custodial sentence . Their victim, Joseph O’Reilly, 24, yesterday said he felt ‘angry and frustrated’. He told the Daily Mail: ‘It makes my . blood boil to think that they were rejoicing when they came out of . court. I cannot believe the way they are behaving. ‘One of them looks as if he has just . won an award, not escaped prison for a vicious beating. The other one . looks like he doesn’t give two hoots about what happened. Victim: Joseph O'Reilly, 24, was savagely set upon by the three drunken yobs after asking why they were kicking wheelie bins around Manchester city centre . 'These two are a disgrace. It’s as if . they’ve just been let off their crime and they haven’t been punished at . all – yet I’ve had to serve my own sentence because of my injuries. ‘The fact they were celebrating proves they assumed they were going to go to jail – yet the judge just let them go.’ Manchester Crown Court heard that the . attack happened in January last year after Mr O’Reilly, an office . worker, had been for a night out in the city centre with his girlfriend . Lucy Blackledge, 22, a sales adviser. They were heading for home when they spotted a gang  walking towards them, kicking over bins and scattering rubbish in the road. When Mr O’Reilly asked them: ‘What on Earth are you doing?’, they turned on him and his girlfriend. Lane started ‘shadow boxing’ in front . of Mr O’Reilly before Chrapkowski punched him in the face then tripped . him, causing him to fall to the pavement. Mr O’Reilly was repeatedly punched and . kicked in the face and stomach before the gang ran off. He spent more . than 40 hours undergoing X-rays and scans as well as emergency treatment . for his injuries. He suffered a badly fractured jaw and a bleed on the brain, and was forced to have a metal plate fitted into his face. Months after the attack he had to go . back into hospital after collapsing and he still suffers severe dizzy . spells and numbness in his mouth. A year on Mr O’Reilly says he can chew food on only one side and worries about going out alone from his home in east Manchester. The brutal attack happened when the gang set on Joseph O'Reilly outside Manchester Piccadilly Station . In sentencing the gang, Judge Martin Steiger said the trio had been drinking a 'considerable amount' Tattooed, jobless Chrapkowski, 24, . from Stockport, was given a 12-month suspended prison term, . electronically tagged for two months and ordered to complete 160 hours . unpaid work after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm. Lane, a sign . writer, also 24 and from Stockport, insisted he made no physical . contact with the victim. He admitted affray and was given a . community order for 12 months, ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid . work, abide by a curfew and pay £250 costs. A third man, Oliver O’Neill, 23, from . Bramhall – who was on bail for another vicious attack at the time of the . assault on Mr O’Reilly – was jailed for 27 months after admitting two . counts of GBH. Katie Jones, defending Chrapkowski, . said: ‘He is extremely remorseful and wishes to apologise to the court. It is extremely out of character.’ Paul Hodgkinson, defending Lane, said: . ‘He accepts he had been out drinking and engaging in tomfoolery, but . that mischief doesn’t cross the custody threshold.’ Judge Martin Steiger QC said: ‘Drink . was involved and in particular I bear in mind that O’Neill was . responsible for significant bodily harm.’

Thug whoops with glee after attack which left victim hospitalised for a month . Second yob swears and squares up to onlookers outside court . Daniel Chrapkowski and Thomas Lane had attacked innocent Joseph O'Reilly in Manchester city centre . Victim, 24, asked gang to stop kicking wheelie bins around when attacked .

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Alastair Cook is too good a player not to return to form at some point. What he must ask himself is whether he can do that while he is captain. Cook’s brain seems scrambled and he is having to work so hard on his leadership that I wonder whether he has the mental energy to work on his batting as well. I am sure there is a hundred just around the corner but it will take a lot of grit, determination and a little bit of luck for Cook to get there. MS Dhoni took his nick on day two but didn’t go for one offered by Gary Ballance. Crossroad: England captain Alastair Cook has some decisions to make after another failure at Lord's . Out of nick: Cook looks back as his edge lands in the gloves of MS Dhoni on day two of the second Test . Under pressure: Cook's dismissal for 10 continues his horror run of form . Even if Cook gets runs in the second innings here he will have to decide whether he has enough in the tank to sort everything out for the third Test. Cook’s captaincy hasn’t been good since the first innings at Trent Bridge. He has been reactive and has to take the blame for how England bowled here. England have had the better of conditions here and may yet go on to win the game but India have shown how best to exploit the conditions. You could argue, of course, that it is the bowlers’ fault that opportunities were wasted on Thursday but the tactics are set by the captain. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad know what they want and like to set their own fields but the captain has to get his way because the wins and losses go against his name. Broad and Anderson are wonderful assets and Cook has to captain them well and make sure they think they’re getting what they want. Even if it’s the captain who is doing it his way. Cook has been in the job for a couple of . years  but he still has a lot to learn. One area of concern is that too . many decisions are being made off the field, such as when England . bowled the right lengths only after lunch on the first day. And Cook . seems too slow to think on his feet and change plans. Assets: Cook needs to make James Anderson and Stuart Broad think they're getting what they want . In the pavilion: Cook appears to make too many decisions off the field . He has to sit down at the end of this Test and ask himself whether putting so much energy into trying to be a better captain is harming his game. What I want to see is Cook getting hundreds for England again. Just say he didn’t play in the third Test. What would we miss most? We’d miss the runs he scores when he is in form more than his captaincy. The bottom line for me is whether Cook feels that giving up the captaincy would give himself the best chance of scoring runs again. He is not a natural leader and has to work so hard at it. But what England need is for him to be their rock again. There is always someone else who could be captain; someone who could surprise us with his leadership. But I want Cook back scoring hundreds, whatever it takes.

A hundred is around the corner for Cook, but it will take grit . The England skipper went cheaply again, caught behind for 10 at Lord's . Cook’s captaincy hasn’t been good since the first innings at Trent Bridge . England would miss Cook's runs more than his leadership on the field .

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By . Martha Cliff . When it comes to a cup of London tea you'll be lucky to grab one for much less than £2.50, however, one extravagant blend has just raised the bar when it comes to an overpriced brew. The prestigious Royal China Club on London's affluent Baker Street has just launched the world's most expensive brew, setting you back no less than £180 a pot. The pricey tea is created from the leaves of the Da Honh Pao (Imperial Red Robe) that are treated much like a fine wine as they are left to mature to gain flavour for 80 years before being served. Pricey pot: The Da Honh Pao tea at the Royal China Club will set you back no less than £180 . Although a tea that costs the same price as a small computer may seem a little unreasonable the legendary Oolong artisan leaves earn their price through rarity, as they can only be harvested on certain days of the year. The tea also has royal endorsement, dating as far . back as the early 18th century, during the Qing Dynasty, when the . emperor Da Hong Pao was titled 'King of Tea' due to his love of the . beverage. Due to its high quality, Da Hong Pao tea is usually reserved . for honored guests in China. Served at exactly 95°c in the Royal China Club, the tea is handmade from tender leaves, withered, tumbled, curled and baked in small batches over charcoal to create an aromatic infusion with distinctive dark cocoa notes, a toasted fruity flavour and a long smooth aftertaste that lingers for several minutes after consumed. The tea was said to be enjoyed by the emperor Da Hong Pao during the Qing Dynasty . Peter Chan the sommelier at the Royal China Club says that brewing the tea at such a specfic temparature is not a gimmick but a necessity. 'Making tea is not simple – it is an art . form when you are using tea leaves as prized and delicate as Da Honh . Pao. It has to be brewed and served at exact temperatures - too hot or . cold and you risk killing the flavours. He continues, 'Tea masters from Hong Kong visit . the Royal China restaurants in London every couple of years to train . all staff in the art of artisan tea making.' The unique blend of tea is served at exactly 95°c to ensure the perfect flavour balance . Peter adds that maturing the leaves for so long adds a great depth of flavour to the tea. 'The tea leaves of Da Honh Pao are left to mature and gain . flavour for 80 years before being served. This helps to create the . unique flavor which is highly respected by tea connoisseurs around the . world.' He adds that this particular blend has an almost completely authentic taste. 'Like all teas, Da Hong Pao is now . processed and sold in many different grades, with some high grades reportedly as expensive as gold! These days, most Da Hong Pao on the . market is produced from clippings of the original bushes, resulting in . similar grades and tastes to the original.' Despite the hard work and craftsmanship that has gone into the tea the Royal China Club understand that not all tea lovers can quite stretch to the price of the cuppa. The Club also offers a range of 18 different types of artisan teas from various regions in China, starting from £4.80 for two. The Royal China Club restaurant on Baker Street is renowned as one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants in London. The restaurant is part of The Royal China Group, consisting of six restaurants. All the restaurants offer traditional Hong Kong Chinese dishes, while the Royal China Club combines European ingredients with the authentic Chinese cuisine. The group is renowned for its dim sum, which includes steamed seafood dumplings with spicy sauce and pan-fried fillet of duck breast rolls. Inside the luxurious Royal China Club . Designed by Stiff + Trevillion, a large aquarium containing lobsters, crabs, fish and seafood creates a focal point. Gordon Ramsay is a huge fan of Royal China Club, and when he was filming a slot on 'how to make dim sum' for the F word, Royal China Club was his location of choice for filming.

The Royal China Club has launched the world's most expensive tea . It is said to have been enjoyed by Emperor Da Hong Pao . The tea is served to customers at exactly 95°c and takes 80 years to mature .

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By . Stuart Woledge . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:13 EST, 9 August 2013 . A family's car was written off and 100 homes were left without power after a mystery explosion sparked an inferno causing flames to come shooting up from underneath the pavement.. The Wakelin family, from Hackbridge in Sutton, were shocked when they returned home to see that their hedge was on fire and their car had been engulfed in flames. The heat was so intense, it also burnt Bradley Wakelin's drive leaving it in tatters. The incident caused a powercut to 107 customers, who were without energy for nearly eight hours. Inferno: Faulty underground cabling caught alight after the explosion causing a powercut to more than 100 properties . Mr Wakelin said: 'My family and I came home to find my vehicle and front hedge on fire with the firefighters putting it out. 'I didn’t know what was going on. I saw the car and the . hedge alight and knew it wasn’t good. 'When . they told me what happened I just couldn’t believe it. I just didn’t . think it could happen. 'My car is written off. My driveway is crumbled . from the heat as well. It was frightening.' Neither he, nor his wife Emma and daughters Kelsie, five, and Keira, nine, were harmed during the incident, but he Mr Wakelin is worried something like this might end up happening again. 'This was caused by a fire in the electrical junction box underneath the ground that had got so fierce that it caught my hedge and car alight,' he said. 'I feel that people of Sutton and the surrounding areas should be made aware of the dangers that are beneath us. 'I want to send a clear message to UK Power Networks to do something about the situation and the dangers it can cause.' Explosion: Firefighters were called to the scene of the incident in New Road, Hackbridge, which engulfed a family's car in flames . Tackling the flames: Firefighters were called to the scene and put the fire out, but Mr Wakelin was shocked at the damage it had caused . Firefighers from Wallington Fire Station were called to the scene at about 5.50pm on Sunday, July 28 and . tackled the blaze using water. A fault on UK Power Networks' electrical equipment beneath the ground was blamed for causing the explosion that led to the fire. Similar incidents in April caused . three explosions underground near Sutton train station, leading to . blackouts in the town centre. The incidents reportedly caused chaos . on the railway, with the departure boards going down. A lift was also . damaged and the pavement where the explosions had been was lifted. Across London, a manhole cover also exploded in . Pimlico. UK . Power Networks, which operates the electrical cables under Sutton, . confirmed it was in talks with Mr Wakelin over compensation for the . damage the fire caused. A . spokeswoman added: 'UK Power Networks engineers worked through the night . to restore power after a fault on the underground electricity network . in the New Road area of Hackbridge interrupted supplies to 107 . customers. 'We appreciate how difficult it is to be without power and are sorry for the inconvenience caused.' The faulty equipment was replaced and power supplies restored by 2.55am the following day. Aftermath: Mr Wakelin's car, which had been parked on his drive, was completely written off by the fire . Burnt out: The engine of the victim's car was damaged beyond repair by the fire .

Family of four return home to see car engulfed in flames and hedge on fire . Bradley Wakelin's car was written off and his scorched drive left in tatters . More than 100 homes were without power for nearly eight hours . It was the fourth underground explosion in Sutton since April . Electrical firm UK Power Networks is in compensation talks with the family .

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Parents claim their teenage daughters have been left in tears, and worrying about their weight after teachers told the pupils their trousers were too tight. Furious mothers and fathers claim their daughters have been left upset and 'feeling fat' after the row at Headlands School in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Parents say their children have been told by teachers their black school trousers are too tight around the 'calf and bottom areas' and are not part of the school uniform. Scroll down for video . Jaydee Hart (left), 13, Chloe Gregory (centre), 14, and Amelia Wileman (right),13, say they have been told their uniforms are unsuitable by bosses at Headlands School in Bridlington, East Yorkshire . And another pupil claims they were told by teachers: 'It's not my fault you can't find trousers big enough'. Sian Hart said her 13-year-old daughter, Jaydee, was among those taken out of class and told her trousers were too tight. She said: 'She has been wearing the same uniform ever since she started at Headlands. 'She's very skinny and tall and I really struggle to find trousers that fit her. 'I bought her trousers from New Look, in the school range, and to me she looks perfectly fine but apparently the school thinks the trousers are too tight.' The mother-of-three said Jaydee and her friend were both taken out of an English lesson over the issue. She said: 'They have threatened to put them in isolation. A girl in the year above my daughter has been excluded for wearing tight trousers. 'I am not buying any more trousers, it's ridiculous. There are more pressing issues the school should be concentrating on.' The angry parents of the schoolgirls have now launched a Facebook group, called Headlands Parents Uniform Unite, to complain. Headteacher Sarah Bone, left, said the school has high expectations about the school uniform . One parent posted her views on the Facebook group and said: 'My daughter is now in floods of tears about this issue. 'She has come home today after a warning that her "trousers may be causing an infringement as they are tight around the calf and bottom area".' The parent claimed the trousers had previously passed a uniform check by the headteacher. Another parent posted: 'My daughter was told "it's not my fault you can't find trousers big enough" and she was not the only one to be told this. 'Girls have put on Facebook how they now feel fat and extremely upset.' Headteacher Sarah Bone said the school has high expectations about the school uniform, which parents were consulted about in 2012. Sarah Bone said: 'All students are required to wear full school uniform at all times, including to and from school. 'Where parents are having difficulty with the cost of uniform, I would ask them to contact their head of year for a confidential discussion. 'Dealing with inappropriate uniform matters detracts from time devoted to learning, so thank you to all our parents and students who have supported us in this matter. 'Students who are not in correct uniform, in line with Department for Education guidance, may be sent home to change or secluded from other students at breaks and lunchtimes.' During the first week of term, Mrs Bone said five students were either sent home or placed in isolation over uniform issues.

Parents furious after teenage daughters left in tears over trousers row . Girls say they 'feel fat' after teachers told them their trousers were too tight . One claims teacher said 'it's not my fault you can't find trousers big enough' Five students either sent home or placed in isolation over uniform issues in first week of term . Headteacher Sarah Bone says school has high expectations over uniforms .

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By . Jessica Jerreat . A former Army Ranger has spoken for the first time about his fear that he fired the fatal round that killed NFL star Pat Tillman. Tillman, who gave up a $3.6 million football contract to serve his country in the aftermath of 9/11, was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan when his regiment was ambushed in Afghanistan. The footballer died after a second group of rangers, including Steven Elliott, fired towards him, believing that Tillman was a Taliban insurgent. Scroll down for video . American hero: Pat Tillman gave up a multi-million dollar contract with the Cardinals to be an Army Ranger . Haunted: Ten years after Tillman was killed by friendly fire, Steven Elliott has revealed his fears that he was responsible for the deadly shots . That fateful day, of April 22, 2004, has haunted Elliott ever since as he wondered if his bullets had been the ones to kill the 27-year-old, he told ESPN. He was one of three Rangers who opened fire towards the ridge where Tillman was standing, in the mistaken belief that he was part of the enemy. Despite an Army investigation into the shooting, it was never determined who fired the deadly round. But the 33-year-old is plagued by the belief that he was responsible for the three shots that hit Tillman in the head. 'It is possible, in my mind, that I hit him,' Elliott told ESPN. He explained that at the time of the shooting, the Rangers had been traveling through a ravine when they came under fire. Tillman, Bryan O'Neal, and an Afghan soldier had crept on to a ridge to provide cover but, silhouetted against the setting sun, the rescue party were mistaken for the enemy. 'I remember seeing the rounds were impacting - 'pop, pop, pop, pop' - just walking in a line right up to where I was laying,' O'Neal, who was 19 at the time, said. Legacy: Footballer and war hero Tillman is remembered with pride by all who knew him . Legend: Tillman, right, celebrates a Cardinals win with his teammates before he joined the Army . Video Source YouTube . Elliott and another soldier had opened fire in their direction, as they mirrored the actions of their platoon leader, Sergeant Greg Baker. 'The mantra is that when all else fails . you do what your team leader does, you go where your team leader goes . and you shoot where your team leader shoots,' Elliott said. 'So effectively him [Baker] firing at that position is, is the . same as his giving an order to fire … And it breaks my heart to say . that, because I know that he regrets that - so much,' Elliott told ESPN, as his voice cracked with emotion. Tillman, who had been a star player for the Arizona Cardinals, died from three bullet wounds to the head. The position of the fatal injury has added to Elliott's fears that he had been the one to kill him. 'You are . holding your trigger for a fraction of a second, but that fraction of a . second releases three to five rounds,' he said. 'If . it looked like you had [three] rounds and very close to one another, . well, that was very consistent to how I was firing my weapon at that . point.' Horror: Bryan O'Neal was standing close to Tillman when their platoon mistakenly opened fire on them . He added: 'It would be disingenuous for me to say there is no way my . rounds didn’t kill him, because my rounds very well could have.' Elliott left the army in 2007 and his marriage broke up as he struggled to come to terms with the events of that day. After being treated for post traumatic stress disorder, rediscovering his faith, and patching things up with his wife - the couple recently remarried - Elliott says he finally feels able to talk about the shooting. 'If I could change what happened, I would change it in a heartbeat,' he said. He added that he hopes by going public with his feelings of guilt, other veterans suffering from the same concerns may find stability and support. It may be ten years since Tillman's tragic death, but the soldier who was lauded for giving up a lucrative football career to serve his country, has left an amazing legacy. An 8ft statue of the athlete was put up in Arizona, and schools and football stadiums have been named in his honor. Impact: The shooting affected Elliott's life, leading him to quit the army and divorce his wife. The couple later remarried as Elliott began to cope . Perhaps the most important part of his legacy however is the 300 servicemen and woman who found their way into the forces through the Tillman Military Scholarships. 'We don't know what Pat would have done if he had lived, but I imagine he would have continued to serve for the rest of his life,' Adrian Kinsella, a Marine captain, told the Mercury News. 'That's what all of the Tillman scholars feel like we have to do. Every day I ask: "Am I living up to Pat's ideal?".' Another scholar, Erik Wittreich, still recalls how Tillman had shrugged off his sporting fame to become a soldier. 'I remember how everyone was whispering as he was walking down a hallway, saying, "There he is",'  Wittreich, who trained with Tillman and later earned one of the scholarships, said.

Arizona Cardinals player Tillman had given up $3.6 million contract to serve his country . 27-year-old died in Afghanistan when comrades accidentally shot at him . Steven Elliott, who served with the footballer, fears he fired the fatal shot .

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A class of Spanish schoolchildren got a surprise when they arrived for lessons only to find King Felipe and Queen Letizia waiting for them instead. The Spanish royal couple were visiting the Ben-Cho-Shey Primary Education Center in Pereiro de Aguiar in Ourense when they joined the children for lessons. Before the hard business of learning got underway, the royals spent a few happy moments getting to know the pupils in the playground before following them into class. Scroll down for video . Are you my teacher? The school children are met by King Felipe and Queen Letizia outside their school . Wow! Some of the children looked a little surprised to find the royal couple in their playground as they arrived . There, . King Felipe, 46, found himself centre of attention as he joined a table of . children doing jigsaw puzzles, while Letizia enjoyed a chat with another . little girl. Dressed . in an elegant floral jacket, cream shirt and tailored black trousers, . she looked every inch the style icon - even managing to effortlessly . navigate the corridors in a pair of sky-high peep-toes. The . look was a far cry from the one she adopted to take her own daughters . to school last week, where she opted for a simple grey t-shirt and . jeans. The two girls, Leonor, eight, and Sofia, seven, . both go to the same school, Santa Maria de los Rosales in Madrid, which . their father also attended as a boy. Lessons from the king: Felipe appeared to be enjoying himself as he helped some of the children with a jigsaw . So that's what you do: Letizia passes on her words of jigsaw-building wisdom to one delighted little girl . Ta dah! The advice seems to work as the little girl, named Victoria, manages to complete her puzzle . Felipe, for his part, was dapper in a pinstripe suit and appeared to be enjoying himself as he chatted to the children and teachers. The . visit came a day after Letizia celebrated her 42nd birthday with an . appearance at a journalism awards ceremony and lunch in Madrid. There, . dressed in a chic rose-print dress and a tailored cream jacket, the . royal made a speech before helping to hand out awards. The appearance in Madrid came hot on the heels of a frenetic week, which included a . visit from the president and first lady of Panama and several charity . meetings. The . rest of the month is also set to be a busy one for Letizia and her . husband courtesy of a busy schedule of appointments at home, before a . visit to New York at the end of September where Felipe will address the . UN General Assembly. Looking good: Letizia was pretty in her print jacket while Felipe opted for pinstripes and a salt and pepper beard . All together now! The royals posed for a photo with all the children and teachers before leaving the school . Stylish: Letizia wore a stylish lilac rose print dress and a chic cream jacket for yesterday's appearance . Bare-faced beauty: Queen Letizia went make-up free for school run with Infanta Sofia (pictured) last week . Back to school: The two little princesses were smart in their navy blazers and carried bright red backpacks . Schedule: The couple have a busy new term of their own, with a visit to New York later this month .

The Spanish royal couple were visiting a primary school in Ourense . Letizia, 42, and Felipe, 46, helped groups of children with jigsaw puzzles . Royals also stopped to pose for a group photo with children and teachers .

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A bizarre sheet of wispy clouds billowing over the Teton mountain range has been enchanting tourists and even veteran employees of the Wyoming national park. Drivers stopped along the Grant Teton National Park's main highway on Thursday morning to gaze in awe and shoot photos of the rare phenomenon hovering over Grand Teton mountain. At 13,770 feet above sea level, the mountain is the highest point in the Teton Range. The shape-shifting clouds at times appeared like a billowing handkerchief or seagull with its beak touching the mountain's summit, Grand Teton National Park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said. She first spotted them on her morning drive to work. 'I had to make myself pay attention to the road because I was like, "Wow, that is really strange,"' Skaggs said Friday. The clouds persisted through the morning before finally dissipating in the afternoon. They were lenticular clouds, a type that forms downwind of mountain ranges in certain conditions. Occasionally, lenticular clouds occur as perfectly symmetrical disks, appearing like giant flying saucers and prompting UFO reports. These particular lenticular clouds resulted from an unusual combination of strong wind and moisture between 13,000 and 14,000 feet, said Riverton-based National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Jones, who got wind of the event from several weather spotters. 'We see these clouds get shaped both by the topography of the mountain and also the way the air will flow over the mountains,' Jones said. 'It was just in the right place at the right time.'

Drivers stopped along park's main highway on Thursday to take photos . Clouds looked as though they were coming out of Grand Teton . Grand Teton mountain is the highest point in the Teton Range . The lenticular clouds often occur with the unusual combination of strong winds and moisture between 13,000 and 14,000 feet . They often look like symmetrical disks or inverted mountain ranges .

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By . James Salmon . PUBLISHED: . 16:17 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:17 EST, 29 November 2013 . The astonishing greed of bankers was laid bare last night as it was revealed their salaries soared by more than a third last year. While the rest of the nation coped with an unprecedented squeeze on incomes, City workers were enjoying the high life, with the top 2,700 taking home an average of £1.6million each. The figure – which makes Britain’s financial elite the highest paid in Europe – flies in the face of the banks’ repeated claims that they have scaled down enormous pay rewards in the wake of the financial crisis. Allegations: Last night there were claims the sector had learned nothing from the financial crash . Last night there were claims that the sector had learned nothing from the greatest financial crash for decades – a crisis that their own greed and incompetence was in part to blame for. The figures also follow a string of  scandals at the country’s lenders over mis-selling, failing to help struggling small businesses, and rigging lending rates. Campaigners said that while City salaries have soared, ordinary families are still facing the worst squeeze on household income in living memory. Average workers saw wages rise by a minuscule 0.8 per cent last year, well below the rate of inflation. But figures from City-based watchdog the European Banking Authority show that last year 2,714 ‘high earners’ received salary, bonus and pension packages worth at least £830,000. Soaring salaries: The average pay reward for workers in the City was £1.6million, up from £1.2million in 2011 . This is 12 times the number in any other EU country. The average pay reward was £1.6million, up from £1.2million in 2011. By contrast, there are just 212 euro-millionaire bankers in Germany, and their average pay was £1.3million, almost a fifth less than their counterparts in the UK. Deborah Hargreaves, chairman of campaign group the High Pay Centre, said the report made a mockery of the banks’ claims to have reined in lavish payouts. ‘This goes to prove that the idea that banks are cutting back is a lie,’ she said. ‘They claim they are showing restraint – but everyone else is suffering from cuts in living standards while bankers are living the high life.’ John Mann, the Labour MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee, said: ‘The banks are failing to lend and giving themselves staggering increases in pay. This is despite the fact that the reason they are doing well is because of quantitative easing – in other words taxpayers lending them money.’ The City watchdog has begun an industry-wide inquiry into banks’ lending to small businesses, after claims of ‘unscrupulous’ practices at Royal Bank of Scotland. The Financial Conduct Authority said it will look at claims that state-backed RBS forced some business customers into collapse to seize their assets. RBS denies the claims. The regulator said it will also write to other banks ‘seeking confirmation that they are satisfied they do not engage in any of the poor practices’. The Bank of England said net lending to business fell by £1.2billion in October – reversing a £714million rise in September. Dominic Hook of Unite said it showed that fictional Wall Street villian Gordon Gekko was ‘alive and well and living in the City of London’. The huge pay rises come despite bank bosses repeatedly insisting they have cleaned up their culture in an effort to win back the public’s trust. RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton said last year: ‘Pay is falling in this industry and has been falling in recent years.’ And addressing shareholders at its annual general meeting earlier this year, Barclays chairman Sir David Walker said: ‘It is without question that in Barclays, and more widely in the banking industry, pay became excessive.’ But critics say the figures show that behind the scenes bankers are intent on carrying on paying themselves just as much as before the crisis, if not more. Experts said the generous increase in bonuses was partly fuelled by the Government’s money printing stimulus – quantitative easing – which has helped push up share prices. Bonuses are typically  paid partly in bank shares, which rose sharply last year. The six and seven-figure banker bonuses have also put the City on course for a showdown with Brussels because the awards breach strict limits on payouts which will be introduced next year. The highest earners in the UK have been  bagging bonuses averaging 3.7 times their basic salary. That is well above a new European Union-wide cap that will limit them to a maximum of one year’s annual salary, or an upper limit of two years’ salary if shareholders approve. Criticism: Jonn Mann, a Labour MP on the Treasury Select Committee (left), said bankers were giving themselves pay rises while taxpayers lent them money and RBS Chairman Sir Philip Hampton claimed last year that 'Pay is falling in this industry and has been falling in recent years' Despite public anger over boardroom greed, the Government has lodged a legal challenge against the EBA bonus cap with the European Court of Justice. It fears the banks will respond to a cap by pushing up basic pay for top staff. Banks have complained they will lose staff to non EU and US rivals which do not have similar pay restrictions if the bonus cap is introduced. Industry lobby groups defended the pay rises. Chris Cummings, chief executive of TheCityUK, said: ‘London is the world’s leading financial centre. That means we attract the best people around the world to the UK. It would be unfortunate if the City were to lose this mantle, because we’d lose the tax that companies and individuals pay.’

The figure make's Britain's financial elite the highest paid in Europe . These bankers also had pension packages worth at least £830,000 . Average workers saw wages rise by a minuscule 0.8 per cent last year . Flies in the face of the banks' repeated claims they have scaled down pay .

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By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 06:56 EST, 15 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:50 EST, 15 May 2012 . Blunder: John Tunney, 63, was left partially blind and in need of round-the clock care . A retired paramedic who was left partially blind and needing round-the-clock care after a blunder by surgeons has been awarded more than £1million. John Tunney, 63, was left severely disabled medical staff mistakenly removed the wrong part of his brain during . an operation he didn’t need. Surgeons removed healthy tissue during the operation instead of the tumour which caused a massive brain haemorrhage. Blood test results - which were not checked before the biopsy - revealed the tumour was benign and could have been treated with tablets. Mr Tunney, who worked as a paramedic with West Midlands Ambulance Service for 23 years, has been awarded the seven-figure sum from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust after they admitted liability for the blunder. He was awarded a long service award in 2005 and even went back to work part-time two days a week after he retired the same year. Mr Tunney, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, had a series of tests in 2008 after he suffered suspected thyroid problems. Doctors at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield performed an MRI scan which revealed abnormalities around his pituitary gland and he was referred to a specialist at Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry. Mr Tunney, had a blood test to determine his hormone levels but doctors failed to check the results. The . results would have revealed he was suffering from prolactinoma - a . benign condition which can be easily controlled with tablets. Mr Tunney, underwent . a biopsy on his pituitary gland on April 29, 2008, but suffered brain . damage after the surgeon removed normal tissue instead of the tumour. Mr Tunney's wife Pamela, 65, said: 'Our lives have both been completely devastated by a completely avoidable brain injury. 'It’s something that we have to deal with every single day of our lives. Recognition: John Tunney receiving his long-service award from West Midlands Ambulance Service in 2005 . 'He gets very frustrated at times that he cannot do the things he once took for granted. 'I remember how we were initially so thankful that this underlying condition had been spotted early. 'Before the surgery he was a very easy-going, active person who was always on the go. 'To see the change in him and to know that it was all entirely avoidable is extremely upsetting. She said the mistakes was 'not something that the hospital can just take back.' 'I . pray that they don’t make this sort of error again and no other family . has to experience seeing their husband suffer the pain and loss that . John has. 'John was . forever praising the work of doctors, so it was only natural for him to . put his complete trust in the surgeon after they told him that he needed . urgent brain surgery. Concerned: Mr Tunney with his wife Pamela, 65, said: 'Our lives have both been completely devastated by a completely avoidable brain injury' 'It is appalling to think the surgeon managed to botch the procedure completely and then to find that the biopsy wasn’t even necessary makes me incredibly angry.' The family have recently relocated to South Wales along with some friends who help Pamela with John’s constant care. University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust admitted liability and today apologised to the family. Meghana Pandit, chief medical officer from Walsgrave Hospital said: 'I would like to apologise on behalf of UHCW again to Mr Tunney and his family for the complications he suffered as a result of his treatment with us four years ago. Apology: Walsgrave Hospital said: 'I would like to apologise on behalf of UHCW again to Mr Tunney and his family for the complications he suffered as a result of his treatment with us four years ago' 'While we acknowledge that the financial settlement he has now received can never compensate for his suffering, I do hope that our sincere assurances that organisational learning from his management mean that patients with similar conditions will experience high quality and safe care will be reassuring to him.' Timothy Deeming, a medical law expert with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors in Birmingham, who represented John, said: 'The fact that the surgeon managed to remove perfectly healthy tissue rather than a sample of the tumour tissue is, in itself, an appalling error. 'To then find that the procedure was totally unnecessary because clinicians had failed to review a blood test, really does add insult to injury. 'The failings of the surgeon involved are so serious that the family is calling on the GMC to investigate his actions.'

Blunderings surgeon removed healthy tissue during the operation instead of the tumour which caused a massive brain haemorrhage . John Tunney, 63, was left partially blind and in need of round-the clock care . University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust admitted liability and today apologised to the family .

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(CNN) -- Lazio will play its next two European matches behind closed doors after football authorities punished the Italian club for several offenses, including a fourth charge of racist behavior this season. European football's governing body also fined Lazio €40,000 ($52,000) following incidents in last week's Europa League round of 32 tie with German side Borussia Monchengladbach. Lazio had already been fined a total of $230,000 for racist abuse and other fan offenses during two group-stage matches with English team Tottenham Hotspur and another against Slovenia's Maribor. The Rome-based team has appealed UEFA's latest decision, which was handed down for "setting off and throwing fireworks, racist behavior and insufficient organization." "The control and disciplinary body decided to order Lazio to play their next two UEFA competition matches as host club behind closed doors," read UEFA's statement. It applies to the home leg of Lazio's last-16 clash in the second-tier competition against another German team, Stuttgart, on March 14. "The remaining game behind closed doors applies to the next UEFA competition match for which the club would qualify," the ruling body said. It is also the second time in a matter of days that a top Italian team has been cited for racism. Inter Milan was fined €50,000 ($65,500) by the Italian football federation on Tuesday after its supporters directed abuse at former player Mario Balotelli during Sunday's derby match with city rival AC Milan. Lazio president Claudio Lotito was disappointed by UEFA's decision, saying it was unfair on the majority of fans at the Stadio Olimpico. "We cannot as a club be penalized for the mistakes of a small minority (and) we will lodge an appeal," Lotito told RaiSport. "Lazio did everything we could and should have done to stop this from happening. It seems absurd to me that we have to play behind closed doors, which will seriously damage the club economically and stop the fans from participating in this event. "We must distinguish between the delinquents who act on their own volition and those fans who express themselves in a civilized fashion." UEFA meted out a heavier punishment to Turkish club Fenerbahce following last week's home Europa League match against BATE Borisov, threatening the Istanbul team with a one-season ban from from European competition if it offends again in the next two years. That sanction is probationary, but Fenerbahce will have to play the home leg of its last-16 clash with Viktoria Plzen on March 14 behind closed doors and pay a €60,000 ($79,000) after its fans set off and threw fireworks from outside the stadium. Fenerbahce's Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles will miss both games against the Czech club after being sent off in the February 14 away leg against BATE.

Serie A side Lazio punished for a series of offenses including racism . UEFA says Lazio must play next two European home games behind closed doors . The Rome-based team also fined €40,000 ($52,000) by ruling body . It is the fourth time this season Lazio has been punished by UEFA .

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Joliet, Illinois (CNN) -- Attorneys for Drew Peterson, a former Chicago-area police officer accused of murdering his third wife, argued during opening statements Tuesday that their client spent his career protecting the public and that murder accusations are groundless. "Kathy slipped, fell, hit her head in a household accident, and drowned. Case closed," said attorney Joel Brodsky. Kathleen Savio was found dead in a bathtub in 2004. Peterson also remains under investigation in the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Prosecutors, meanwhile, argued that Peterson was motivated to kill, at least in part, by his desire to avoid settlement payments to his ex-wife. "This (is) not a case where you'll have DNA, fingerprints, or a videotaped confession . . . (But) when you've heard all the evidence, you'll be able to determine that Drew Peterson killed Kathleen Savio beyond a reasonable doubt," said Will Country State's Attorney James Glasgow during his opening statement. Prosecutors called Mary Pontarelli, a neighbor, as their first witness. Her voice cracked on a couple of occasions as she described finding the body of Savio, her friend. Court is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning. A jury of seven men and five women, chosen over two days last week, will decide Drew Peterson's fate during the trial in Joliet, Illinois, which is expected to last about a month, according to his lawyer. Peterson, 58, was married to Savio in 2001 when he had an affair with then-17-year-old Stacy Kales, who later became Stacy Peterson. Savio and Peterson filed for divorce that October, and their relationship remained contentious for the next several years. Bolingbrook, Illinois, police records indicate officers were called to Savio's home 18 times to intervene in domestic fights from 2002 to 2004. Drew Peterson had Savio arrested twice for domestic violence, though she was found not guilty in both cases. A judge in March 2002 granted Savio a protection order from her ex-husband, prohibiting him from being near her, entering her home or taking out their children except for two brief weekly visits. Savio had claimed that months later, Peterson held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her inside her home. On February 27, 2004, Drew Peterson picked up his two sons from Savio's home, spending the next two days with them. Prosecutors believe that he entered her home again early on February 29 and killed Savio; she was found naked and dead in her dry tub the next day. At the time of her death, a court was mulling how their marital assets would be divided, and Savio was set to receive part of Peterson's pension and other support. Police initially treated the scene as an accident, although the Illinois State Police was later brought in to investigate. Peterson's trial had been set to start in July 2010 but was delayed. In April, an Illinois appellate court ruled that prosecutors may use potentially incriminating statements made by Savio and Drew Peterson's still-missing wife Stacy against him, a key development in the case. The ruling overturned an earlier judge's decision that forbade prosecutors from using eight statements made by Savio before her death and by Stacy Peterson before her disappearance. The defense had argued that using the statements would violate Drew Peterson's right to confront the witnesses against him.

NEW: Court is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning . NEW: Attorneys for both sides made opening statements in the former police officer's trial . NEW: The prosecution calls Mary Pontarelli, a neighbor, as its first witness . Kathleen Savio was found dead in a bathtub in 2004 .

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(CNN) -- Another place on Formula One's motorized merry-go-round has been filled for the 2014 season. Pastor Maldonado has been named as Frenchman Romain Grosjean's teammate at the Lotus F1 team after leaving Williams. Maldonado, whose deal with Williams had been funded by the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, has filled the Lotus seat vacated by 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who is returning to Ferrari. "It is a fantastic opportunity for me to join Lotus F1 team for 2014," Maldonado said in a statement. "It's no secret that I have wanted a change of scene to help push on with my Formula 1 career and Lotus offered the very best opportunity for me to be competitive next season. "The regulations and cars will change significantly so it is a very good time for a fresh start." The Venezuelan made his F1 debut in 2011 with Williams and the following season he clinched a shock win for the former world champion team at the Spanish Grand Prix -- the first by an F1 driver from his country. Maldonado's brief reign in Spain was the high point of his relationship with Williams, a partnership that showed signs of stress towards the end of the last campaign. At the penultimate United States Grand Prix, the 28-year-old said: "Leaving is an important moment for my career." Before signing for Lotus, Maldonado was among of group of F1 protagonists without a drive at the end of the 2013 season, which reached its climax in Brazil last weekend. Force India duo Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil, McLaren's Sergio Perez, Sauber pair Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez, Marussia's British driver Max Chilton and Caterham pairing Charles Pic and Giedo Van Der Garde are yet to settle their futures. Many drivers are now expected to fund their own drives in F1, a problem that has been exacerbated ahead of the new season. A major rule change looms large in 2014 and that means the 11 teams are having their resources stretched, with the new turbo engines alone estimated to be three times more expensive than the ones being phased out. Grosjean has managed to avoid the fray of the driver market by securing a third straight season with Lotus. After an erratic 2012 season, which included a one-race ban for dangerous driving, the 27-year-old showed consistent improvement in 2013, racing to six podiums. His performances were enough to see Lotus take up the option to extend his contract. "I am very happy to have official confirmation that I will be continuing to drive for Lotus next season," said Grosjean, who, like Maldonado, became a father for the first time in 2013. "This past year has been tremendously satisfying for me. I know everyone is motivated to continue the fight for every last point available." Although Lotus won the opening race of 2013 in Australia, the final part of the season was overshadowed by speculation over the team's finances. Lead driver Raikkonen, who opted to have back surgery rather than race in the final two grands prix of the year, was reported to be owed $20 million in wages. The arrival of Maldonado is likely to help boost the team's coffers as he is expected to once again bring financial support to his new team. Lotus team principal Eric Boullier added: "It is clear that Pastor has pace and potential. We are convinced that we will be able to provide the correct environment to enable him to flourish regularly on track. "With Romain and Pastor I believe Lotus will be able to cause quite a few surprises next year."

Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean will race for the Lotus Formula One team in 2014 . Maldonado joins from Williams to replace Kimi Raikkonen, who is returning to Ferrari . French driver Grosjean keeps his seat at UK-based team for third straight year . Maldonado is expected to bring financial support from native Venezuela .

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By . Alan Roden . Hope: The Prime Minister said he aims to increase devolution after the 2015 General Election . David Cameron has warned left-wing parties they will ‘reap what they sow’ if they punish Scots with higher taxes. Writing exclusively in today’s Scottish Daily Mail, the Prime Minister says he will ‘seek support’ from other parties to deliver the biggest shake-up of devolution after the 2015 General Election. His predecessor Gordon Brown also paved the way for a formal cross-party pact on devolution yesterday as he argued that Westminster is united on the issue. If there is a No vote in September, the . Scottish Conservatives have proposed giving MSPs full control over . income tax, allowing them to raise and lower each rate. The party also wants to give Holyrood a share of the VAT raised in Scotland, the ability to increase welfare payments and control of housing benefit. Labour wants the Scottish Parliament to be in charge of a 15p share of the basic 20p rate of income tax, and be able to increase higher bands – but not lower them unless all levels are reduced. The party also believes there should be the power to create a new council tax band, allowing the Scottish Government to introduce a ‘mansion tax’. The SNP favours a ‘progressive’ tax system and could use the new powers – if there is a No vote – to hammer higher earners. But Mr Cameron writes in today’s Mail: 'You can be sure that Scottish Conservatives will be at the forefront of promoting low-tax, pro-enterprise policies within a Scottish Parliament with enhanced responsibilities. 'If the parties of the Left want to argue for higher personal taxes for Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, then let them reap what they sow.' Agreeing to disagree: David Cameron (right) and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond (left) sign the Scottish independence referendum agreement at St Andrews House in Edinburgh . He adds: 'The Strathclyde report [on further devolution] is a clear, coherent and Conservative blueprint for the next stage of Scotland’s devolution journey.  We will take them forward in our 2015 General Election manifesto and seek support to deliver them in the new parliament. 'All the mainstream pro-UK parties believe in further devolution, so whilst we would want to build consensus for a set of measure and legislation, there is no reason why these changes shouldn’t happen early in the next parliament.' Mr Brown said: 'It is definitely possible now to see an agreement about extra tax powers and extra policy powers for the Scottish Parliament. 'So the argument that the Scottish National Party have been putting across over these last few months that nothing will happen if there is a No vote in September is completely wrong.' I believe in devolution because I’m a Conservative, not despite being one. Two principles that I hold dear are that governments have a responsibility carefully to spend public money; and that where possible decisions should be taken as close to the people affected by them. These two principles are at the heart of the Scottish Conservatives’ proposals for improving Scotland’s devolution settlement, outlined this week by Ruth Davidson and strongly supported by me. The Strathclyde Report is a clear, coherent and Conservative blueprint for the next stage of Scotland’s devolution journey.  We will take them forward in our 2015 General Election Manifesto and seek support to deliver them in the new Parliament. All the mainstream pro-UK parties believe in further devolution, so whilst we would want to build consensus for a set of measure and legislation, there is no reason why these changes shouldn’t happen early in the next Parliament. The Scottish Parliament already runs schools, hospitals and other vital services and decides how to spend two-thirds of all public expenditure in Scotland. However the Scottish Parliament has to date had little responsibility for raising the money it spends.  We have started to put that right.  In 2012 the Coalition Government passed legislation to give the Scottish Parliament more responsibility for funding Scottish public services. The Strathclyde recommendations go further.  Under these proposals the Scottish Parliament would have the power to decide how to fund up to half of what it spends.  These are real powers with real consequences. For the first time the Scottish Government and MSPs in Holyrood will be accountable for how much of your pay packet stays in your wallet and how much goes to the tax man. And when you buy goods or services in Scotland, the report says a share of that money should stay in Scotland, to make up part of the Scottish Government's budget. It gives the Scottish Parliament a greater stake in supporting a thriving economy.  And you can be sure that Scottish Conservatives will be at the forefront of promoting low-tax, pro-enterprise policies within a Scottish Parliament with enhanced responsibilities. If the parties of the left want to argue for higher personal taxes for Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, then let them reap what they sow. It is the Conservatives who are delivering on devolution. We are at the heart of the constitutional debate. We don’t just talk a good game – we lead and we act. A referendum in Wales to give its assembly new law-making powers - delivered. The recommendations of the Calman Commission – the biggest act of fiscal devolution to Scotland for over 300 years - delivered. First time tax powers to the Welsh Assembly – being delivered.  City deals to enhance local democracy – being delivered. But there’s more to do – and we have a plan for the future. And the people of Scotland understand that the only threat to devolution is Alex Salmond and his separation plans. They know that opportunity to take domestic decisions within Scotland whilst retaining the strength, security and stability of being part of the United Kingdom is the best of both worlds. Ruth has charted a very clear course for the future of the country she loves. She has my wholehearted support as together we seek to build an even stronger Scotland with our UK family of nations.  We delivered on devolution in this Parliament. We will deliver in the next.

Prime Minister aims to increase devolution after 2015 General Election . Says he will 'seek support' from other parties for a shake-up of powers . Warned left-wing parties they are encouraging Scots to seek independence . Said a 'yes' vote at referendum is more likely after threats to increase taxes .

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Stuart McCall has admitted to enduring sleepless nights before realising he no longer had the answers to halt Motherwell’s slide in form. The 50-year-old released an emotional open letter to supporters on the Motherwell website, reflecting on both the remarkable achievements of his four-year spell at Fir Park and the thinking behind his decision to step down. McCall resigned as manager on Sunday evening, 48 hours after his side suffered a fifth successive defeat with a 2-1 loss at St Johnstone. Stuart McCall quit as Motherwell manager after failing to halt his side's slide in recent weeks . Motherwell's defeat to St Johnstone was their fifth in succession and proved to be McCall's final game . The former Scotland midfielder feared his own despondency at being unable to turn results around could have a further negative impact on the squad. That led him to the conclusion it was best to step aside, with assistant manager Kenny Black in caretaker charge for Friday’s visit of Dundee United while the process of appointing a replacement begins. ‘I struggled to sleep after Friday’s game with St Johnstone then woke up again during the night, Saturday into Sunday, thinking about the Dundee United game and I just couldn’t come up with any answers,’ said McCall. ‘I felt that with the international break coming up, now would be a good time to step aside to allow the club time. ‘I have a hope that with a fresh voice and maybe some new ideas, it will give the players that little boost they need. I felt that if I didn’t have the same hunger or desire, if I was deflated, then the players would sense that and that’s not what they, or the club, needs at this point. ‘This season has been difficult and when you become apprehensive about the next game, that’s your body’s way of telling you that maybe things have come to an end. ‘Both as a player and manager, you should work all week and really look forward to matches, but if you have that negativity in your head, it’s difficult and I don’t want that to make our situation any worse. I care too much about the place and the people who work here.’ While his last few months in charge were painful, McCall’s tenure will go down in Motherwell’s history as one of great success. Back-to-back runners-up finishes in the league were joined by continental adventures in the Champions League and Europa League, as well as an appearance in the 2011 Scottish Cup Final. McCall helped Motherwell to the qualifying stages of the Champions League where they lost to Panathinaikos . McCall also took Motherwell to the 2011 Scottish Cup final where they lost to Celtic at Hampden . ‘It’s fair to say that the last 24 hours or so have been incredibly difficult and emotional for me personally,’ he said. ‘However, it has also given me time to reflect on what has been four wonderful years. ‘Seeing what getting to a national final meant to the fans, and also the town itself, is something that will live with me forever. ‘I think back to the night we beat Hearts to qualify for the Champions League, then the atmosphere at Fir Park for that game against Panathinaikos. For a lot of our players, that was the highlight of their career, playing at that level. ‘I remember coming back from 2-0 down at Easter Road to win and no one will ever forget that game at Pittodrie (on the last day of last season). That will go down as one of the best days I’ve ever had in football. ‘I just hope the amount of highs cancel out some of the disappointments when people look back at what we’ve achieved here.’ McCall paid glowing tribute to his players, backroom team, club directors, office staff and supporters for their ‘invaluable’ assistance. ‘I would ask you all to rally around the club and the players in the next few weeks and months,’ he added. ‘Nothing would give me more pleasure if I am back up the road next May with my claret and amber scarf, with the team having picked up in the league, watching Motherwell at the Scottish Cup Final once again.’

Stuart McCall brought an end to his four-year reign as Motherwell boss . He resigned after his side's fifth defeat in succession against St Johnstone . McCall felt unable to turn around the club's fortunes .

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