First pictures of the missing tornado children: Parents' agony after seven kids drown in Oklahoma City school flattened by two-mile twister and rescuers search for many more buried under rubble

banner

Devastated families are frantically searching for young children trapped under the rubble of an elementary school that was flattened after a monster two-mile wide tornado roared through Moore in Oklahoma, leaving dozens dead. Nine-year-old Janae Hornsby (pictured left) is among the children missing after Plaza Towers Elementary School was reduced to debris on Monday afternoon after the building took a direct hit during the 45 minutes of terror. Janae's heartbroken father, an Iraq veteran, and grandmother have released images of the young girl 'who always has a smile on her face' and have put out a desperate plea for information after they failed to reach Plaza Towers before the 200mph winds rattled through.

Young mother and her five-month-old baby killed at 7-Eleven as they desperately searched for shelter from tornado

Devastation: The tornado threw cars and ripped buildings to shreads

A young mom and her five-month-old baby were two of the fatalities in the devastating Oklahoma tornado, MailOnline can reveal. The unidentified mom was a school teacher and leaves behind her husband and six-year-old son.

'God's answered my prayers': Touching moment woman finds her dog buried in tornado rubble

Overjoyed: Both pet and owner were delighted when he emerged from the wreckage

The touching moment was captured live on television as Moore resident Barbara Garcia was being interviewed and said she feared her beloved pet had been killed by the tornado.

Family of four, including their baby, die in their home as they try to seek shelter in their freezer

Heroes and survivors

The family's death was one of many heartbreaking stories that emerged in the hours after a deadly tornado ripped through the town of Moore, Oklahoma. The death toll now stands 24.

Shocking before-and-after photos reveal how Plaza Towers elementary school was razed to the ground by terrifying tornado

MOORE, OK- MAY 20: Flipped vehicles are piled up outside the heavily damaged Moore Medical Center after a powerful tornado ripped through the area

The two mile wide tornado which tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma City on Monday left devastation reminiscent of a war zone as it leveled entire streets and buildings killing at least 24 people.

Obama promises full support for Oklahoma after 'one of the most destructive' storms in history

Solemn: U.S. President Barack Obama prepares to speak about the devastating tornado which struck Oklahoma City, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC today

President Barack Obama pledged urgent government help for Oklahoma Tuesday in the wake of 'one of the most destructive' storms in the nation's history.

'I don't know where she is': Agony of parents facing excruciating wait for news of their missing children

Anxious: Parents wait in the hope of being reunited with their missing children at St. Andrews United Methodist Church following the devastating tornado

Parents and guardians of missing children wait at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, listening intently for news of their missing children.

'Wow!': Caught on camera, the moment family emerges from storm shelter to see damage from the 'biggest tornado in history'

The true scale of the tornado that swept through much of Oklahoma was captured by a number of home-made videos that show the precursor for the devastation on Monday.

The true scale of the tornado that swept through much of Oklahoma was captured by a number of home-made videos that show the precursor for the devastation on Monday.

Did 911 dispatcher curse at Amanda Berry? Operator under investigation over claims he called Ohio kidnap victim 'a 'f****** b****'

Amanda Berry

New allegations have been made that the dispatcher cursed at Amanda Berry (pictured center after her release) when she rang 911 after escaping the house in Cleveland after a decade in captivity. The dispatcher is now being investigated by Cleveland City Hall, according to reports.

Adoptive parents charged in death of son, 4, who was 'skin and bones' when police found him at the family's home

Victim: Buddy Cook appears to have died from dehydration and malnutrition, although a final ruling is pending further tests, according to a petition and affidavits filed by Child Protective Services investigators

Angel and David Cook, the adoptive parents of Buddy Cook, were charged on Monday in Fort Worth, Texas in connection to the 4-year-old's death on March 22.

'Stop sending the nanny!' Fury of Manhattan private elementary schools at parents who send hired help to do their duties

school

Well-to-do mothers and fathers are calling on hired help to take their place in bake sales, biannual 'safety patrol' duties and even accompanying children to entrance interviews.

Father who set up video to capture 'paranormal' activity accidentally films his girlfriend having sex with his teenage son instead

Shock: When he returned to view the footage his paranoia turned to horror as he watched his partner of 11 years enter the room and begin canoodling with his 16-year-old son

Convinced his home had been overrun by spirits of the dead, the man, from Tasmania, Australia, set up the camcorder in his kitchen, pressed record and went to work.

Man 'defrauded Walmart of $624k by returning pirated DVDs, computer software and mispriced fishing rods'

Man accused of stealing

Robert Milton, of Blacksburg, South Carolina, is accused of defrauding Walmart of $624,000 by returning counterfeit merchandise to the retailer using forged receipts.

'I cannot ask you to sentence me to death': Jodi Arias tearfully changes her story again as she pleads with jurors to let her live (and even shows them her paintings and family photos)

jodi

Arias, 32, was found guilty earlier this month in the premeditated murder of Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He had been stabbed multiple times, had his throat slashed and been shot in the face.

Botox at just 20? How younger women than ever are using cosmetic treatment as a 'preventative' measure against early aging

Botox at 20

The number of women in that age group using Botox - which temporarily paralyzes the muscles beneath the skin - has risen 10 per cent in just one year.

Tuck in! Eating sweets regularly DOESN'T make you more likely to be fat or develop heart disease

No need to worry: sweets are not putting your health at risk

A study published in the Nutrition Journal found that those who eat sweet treats every other day are no more likely to be overweight than those who indulged just once a week.

Angry tea partiers rally at IRS headquarters in Washington and demand they release all documents on targeting scandal

Serious messages: Tea party activists carried stern warnings to the IRS after the agency targeted their groups for special treatment based on their political philosophies

About 70 conservatives gathered in the nation's capital to protest the federal government's 'unfair' treatment of right wing groups with 'outrageous' tax scrutiny.

Justice Department 'targeted TWO Fox News reporters and a producer for talking with government sources'

Shannon Bream (R) and Megyn Kelly (L) broke the news Monday that the DOJ had targeted three of their journalist colleagues in criminal investigations for seeking classified information from willing government sources

Correspondents Mike Rosen and William LaJeunesse and producer Mike Levine were targets of subpoenas for email records and other surveillance, and the DOJ never notified them.

Microsoft unveils the new Xbox One - with improved voice controls, an exclusive Halo TV show, built-in Skype and a redesigned Kinect sensor

Microsoft has announced its Xbox One - a new games console with improved voice recognition and gesture controls, built-in Skype features and multi-tasking Snap Mode.

It has been designed to run much faster than its Xbox 360 predecessor. It has improved voice recognition, Skype functions built-in and comes with a redesigned version of its motion-sensing technology Kinect.

Miami cannibal victim learns to play guitar as part of treatment a year after his face was chewed off in horror attack

cannibal

Ronald Poppo (right) who was sleeping rough in Miami, spent almost a month in hospital after Rudy Eugene (left) chewed off 75 per cent of his face in May last year. Mr Poppo has been left blind but his doctors say he has been working with an occupational therapist to learn how to take care of himself.

Plus-size blogger's spoof Abercrombie & Fitch ad mocks retailer's 'thin and beautiful' customer policy

Open letter: Blogger Jes M. Baker of The Militant Bakera has addressed the brand's 'sizeism' issue by creating a series of mock Abercrombie & Fitch ads, titled Attractive and Fat

Jes M. Baker of blog The Militant Baker has addressed the brand's 'sizeism' issue by creating a series of mock Abercrombie & Fitch ads, titled Attractive and Fat. She also issued an open letter to CEO Mike Jefferies, writing: 'I challenge the separation of attractive and fat, and I assert that they are compatible regardless of what you believe'.

Senate goes after Apple for avoiding BILLIONS in taxes by setting up dummy HQ - but 'haven' Ireland says 'we are innocent'

Cork it: A Senate subcommittee says this building in Ireland houses the affiliate companies Apple Inc. uses to avoid billions in U.S. income taxes

The Senate said Apple paid little or no tax on tens of billions of dollars stashed in Irish subsidiaries but deputy prime minister today denied Ireland had any special rate with tech giant.

Is Pope Francis an exorcist? Video appears to show Pontiff perform exorcism on wheelchair-bound boy after Sunday Mass

The boy, who is in a wheelchair, is seen breathing deeply and then convulsing as the pope stands over him

The video taken after celebrating Mass in St Peter's Square on Sunday shows Pope Francis pray over the boy, who then breathes deeply before convulsing and then looking shocked. A Vatican spokesman said today that Francis 'didn't intend to perform any exorcism. But as he often does for the sick or suffering, he simply intended to pray for someone.'

Disney Channel forced to pull episode of hit TV show Jessie that 'mocks' and 'humiliates' child on gluten-free diet

Controversial: The Disney Channel has pulled an episode of its popular children's show Jessie, which ridiculed a nine-year-old gluten-free child

During the May 17 installment titled Quitting Cold Koala, a nine-year-old character named Stuart Wooten stated that he could not eat plain flour pancakes because he was gluten-free.

Dutch TV presenter stuns viewers after drinking milk direct from mother's breasts on primetime show

Yum: After warning de Leeuw 'not to bite', the host starts to taste

Host Paul de Leeuw causes amazement when he asks woman called Wendy if her milk is 'nice and sweet' before she amazingly lets him try it on the proviso he 'didn't bite'.

Mom shames daughter, 10, by making her wear horrible thrift store outfits to 'teach her a lesson' for bullying other students about their clothes

d

A ten-year-old from Utah faced the ultimate punishment when her stepmother discovered she was bullying another student for her wardrobe: she was forced to wear thrift store clothes to feel empathy for her victim. The girl, Kaylee, had to attend school for two days in outfits that were purchased for under $50.

Chelsea Clinton puts her religious roots to academic use as she lands new job as 'multifaith' leader at New York University

Multifaith leader: Chelsea Clinton, who is a member of the United Methodist Church, has landed a new job at NYU as co-founder and co-chair of its brand-new Of Many Institute

The 33-year-old's role, which is yet to be formerly announced, will aim 'support a new generation of religious and civic leaders,' explains the NYU website.

Right-wing historian shoots himself in Paris' Notre Dame cathedral 'in protest at gay marriage'

notre dame.jpg

A police official says officers closed the cathedral to the public after the incident Tuesday afternoon. The official could not confirm French media reports that the man had shot himself in front of the altar.

Police say for first time Susan Powell's brother-in-law was 'heavily involved' in her disappearance and they reveal that husband DID have affair months before his wife vanished

Police formally said that they are putting the active investigation into Susan Powell's disappearance aside but say that her brother-in-law was 'heavily involved'

Police officially believe that Josh Powell's brother Michael was 'heavily involved' in Susan's 2009 disappearance, but their theory gives little relief as they announced that they are closing the case.

Florida teacher suspended for touching student with BANANA during lesson on Freudian symbolism

Suspended: Jonathan Hampton of North Marion High School was suspended for three days for touching a female student with a banana during lesson on Freudian symbolism

The girl claims her teacher, Jonathan Hampton of Citra, rubbed her head and neck area with the piece of fruit during a class lecture on 'cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols.'

The $25 gun: Plastic firearm you can make at home from household items is created by 3D printer

A Wisconsin engineer has printed a 3D plastic gun using a self-assembled 3D printer he bought online, a nail and some household screws.

A working plastic gun has been printed using a self-assembled 3D printer bought online, a nail and some household screws. The gun, based on the Liberator plans, cost the Winconsin engineer behind it just £16 to make. A video on YouTube sees the engineer the plans successfully shoot nine .38 caliber shots.

So THIS is what caused the Irish potato famine: Scientists finally identify unique pathogen that caused the blight

The unique strain of potato blight which triggered the Irish potato famine in the mid-19th century has been identified by scientists

An international team of researchers studied preserved plant samples at Kew Gardens in London and identified the HERB-1 pathogen which caused the potato famine.

'Mystery' of why penguins can't fly is solved: Their wings are better at swimming - 'and no bird can excel at both'

Penguins lost the ability to fly as they developed more efficient wing-propelled diving skills that allowed them to better forage for food

Scientists at Aberdeen University said that penguins started to fly through the ocean instead of the air as they developed wing-propelled diving skills that allowed them to forage for food at increasing depths.

The terrifying face of El Salvador's gangs: 60,000 gang members on verge of war after court ruling threatens shaky truce between two warring factions

An imprisoned

Terrifying photos of the rival gangs Mara Salvatruchas (MS-13) and 18 Street handing over weapons and cellphones from prison have emerged as El Salvador risks falling back into the devastating violence that crippled the country for years. Though the gang members, many sporting tattoos to declare their loyalty, have said they will comply with a ceasefire, government officials worry they could see a rise in the kidnappings and murders infamously carried out by the ruthless gangs.

Bing
   

Femail Today

Basejumper's terrified face as his parachute failed to open when he leapt off 1,000ft cliff (but amazingly he escaped with minor injuries)

British basejumper's terror as his parachute fails to open when he leaps off 1,000ft cliff (...but amazingly he escaped with minor injuries)

Amazingly Matthew Gough, 25, escaped with minor injuries after the basejump went wrong over Lake Garda, in Italy. The daredevil said he thought he was going to die when his parachute got twisted on his way down. Matthew, of Lichfield, Staffordshire, filmed the jump at Lake Garda, Italy, using a camera attached to his helmet.

University of Rhode Island student mysteriously disappears while driving home to Pennsylvania for summer vacation

Missing: 21-year-old University of Rhode Island student Matthew Royer disappeared while driving home to Pennsylvania early Friday morning

Matthew Royer, 21, was last seen about 2 a.m. Friday leaving a gas station near Allentown, Pennsylvania, just North of his family's home. He hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Winner of $590m jackpot is '26-year-old single mother from small Florida town'... but she STILL hasn't come forward to claim Powerball prize

Luck of the draw: The record-breaking $590 million Powerball jackpot was won in Florida

The winner hasn't come forward yet to claim her record-setting prize, but the residents of Zephyrhills have told the MailOnline that a 26-year-old single mother is the lucky one.

New Xbox unveiled tonight is expected to lock games to its console - making swapping and trading second-hand games impossible

Coming to television: The Halo series of games is one of Xbox's biggest exclusive franchises, and will now be turned into a TV series

Rumours and speculation suggest the company will announce plans for single-code game activations, effectively locking games to one console.

'He was lucky he didn't die': Driver describes moment she nearly ran over George Michael after he fell out of car at 70mph on UK freeway

Screeched to a halt: Katherine Fox (pictured) has described the moment she nearly ran over George Michael as he lay covered in blood on the M1 after falling from his car at 70mph

Katherine Fox, 23, was travelling behind a silver Range Rover when the singer tumbled out of the passenger door onto the third lane of the carriageway near St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Sour power: The invention that sprays the juice of FRESH lemons and limes straight onto your food

Lemon

The plastic 'Stem' gadget plugs directly into lemons, limes and oranges and sprays out a fine mist of tangy juice. The $12 device means users don't have to worry about making a runny mess when squeezing a lemon or bother about wayward pips falling onto their plate.

Army doctor facing trial for Fort Hood shootings that killed 13 is paid $278,000 while awaiting trial

Payroll: Major Nidal Hasan is still being paid as he waits for his trial over the Fort Hood shootings

The Fort Hood army doctor Nidal Hasan, who is awaiting trial for a gun attack that killed 13 fellow soldiers and injured 32, has been paid $278,000 since the shooting on November 5, 2009.

Lindsey Vonn linked to notorious East German doping doctor at Red Bull training camp

Woods and Vonn are America's latest golden couple

The skiing star, 28, who is seeing golfing hero Tiger Woods, has come into contact with notorious medic Bernd Pansold, who was part of a systematic programme of doping unwitting young athletes in the 1970s and 80s.

'I never knew people could love an old man so much': WWII vet, 91, 'saved from daughter's eviction' after $138,000 raised online

A 91-year-old WWII veteran: John Potter

John Potter of Zaleski, Ohio says he's 'amazed' by the more than 5,000 people who have donated toward his original $125,000 goal after claims his daughter illegally signed his home to herself before filing to evict him.

Rescue puppy who ran away from foster home after being saved from dog fighting ring lured back to safety by the smell of cooking bacon

Welcome home: Misty's foster owners give the rescue puppy a warm welcome after she found her way back

When Misty the pit bull puppy went missing from her New Jersey home, her owners used the smell of cooking bacon to help find the former bait dog.

Police charge man, 20, with murder 'of girl, 15, found dumped in woods after she went to meet man she met on Facebook'

Missing Nichole Kristine Cable

Kyle Dube was charged in Nichole Cable's death. Authorities in Maine believe they have discovered her body in a wooded area 20 miles from her home. She was last seen by her parents at her home around 9 p.m. on May 12. Her parents believed she may have run off with a man she met on Facebook, but one of friends claimed Nichole had previously met Kyle.

The secret to a long and healthy life? A high-rise apartment: People who live below the eighth floor are 22% more likely to die early

The chances of dying from lung disease are 40 per greater among people who live on the ground floor than among those with a flat above the eighth floor

Researchers at the University of Bern, Switzerland, also found that the chances of dying from lung disease are 40 per cent greater for those living on the ground floor than those higher up.

Woman charged with attempted murder after 'poisoning' family with tainted CHEESE when relative refused to share it with her

The importance of sharing:Tiara Drake wanted some of a relative's cheese on Friday, but the woman refused to share - so she 'poisoned' her

24-year-old Tiara Drake wanted some of a relative's cheese on Friday, but the woman refused to share - so she poisoned her

Communist soldiers of North Korea have fun at the fair as incredible images capture army during 'downtime'

e's Army rides on a fairg***EXCLUSIVE*** PYONGYANG, NOR

A North Korean solider, right, smiles with gay abandon as she rides a rollercoaster in a series of stunning pictures by French photographer Eric Lafforgue which show the secretive country in a whole new light. A colleague, below left, has fun petting a stray dog, while three female troops seem to be having a ball as they grin away while chatting in the capital, Pyongyang.

Israel claims iconic images which showed terrifying moments Palestinian boy died in Gaza may have been STAGED

Second Intifada

The video showed terrified Muhammad al-Dura, 12, and his father, Jalal, cowering in front of a wall during an exchange of fire between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen.

Police investigate possible link between murders of professor and wife and 2008 slayings of his colleague's 11-year-old son and housekeeper

Dr. Roger Brumback, 65, and his wife, Mary, were getting ready for retirement, expecting to relocate from Omaha, Nebraska to West Virginia next month

Law enforcement in Omaha, Nebraska are examining the possibility of a link between the murder of university professor Roger Brumback his wife Mary and two other homicides five years ago.

Would you take your husband's surname? How more young brides are abandoning their maiden names

New life, new name: Recent studies have shown that a new generation of young brides are opting to take their husband's name, or at least have it hyphenated

Recent studies have shown a new generation of young brides are opting to take their husband's name, or at least have it hyphenated.

'You will die you f**ks!': Bat Mitzvah chaperone's total meltdown after kid throws candy on a school bus

Overreaction: A busload of kids en route from Manhattan to Scarsdale, New York were shocked as their chaperone went on an expletive-filled tirade because of a thrown piece of candy

A chaperone watching a bus load of kids going home from a Manhattan Bat Mitzvah had an epic breakdown after one young boy threw a piece of candy.

College sophomore dies 'after huffing nitrous oxide' while parents were visiting campus to celebrate brother's graduation

Deceased: Ali Mirza, a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College in California, was pronounced dead early Friday morning

Ali Mirza, a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College in California, was pronounced dead early Friday morning. Friends say Mirza's parents were in town for the weekend to celebrate his older brother's graduation from the same college.

Naked hiker saved from Colorado mountain after taking mushrooms and fighting with her roommates

taylor

Taylor Powers, 21, stripped off her clothes after she took the drugs and got into a fight with her two roommates who were with her on the walk on Sunday in Colorado's Chautauqua Park. She was charged with consuming a controlled substance, but there are expected to be more charges- not only for the young woman but also for her two roommates.

Angela Merkel under fire over Communist links as new image of her in uniform is released

A member of Italy's metalworkers union walks by a banner with a picture of German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a demonstration in Rome. The unrest came as Mrs Merkel tried to dampen speculation over her links with East German communists

Picture taken in 1972 shows Mrs Merkel marching with a group of friends and an East German officer as they prepared to take part in a civil defence exercise. The photo was released as a new book alleged she was closer to communists than she has claimed.

German software giant recruits autism sufferers to train as high tech IT experts 'because they think differently'

Dustin Hoffman in Rainman, a film that first brought autism into the public eye

SAP believes people with the condition are ideally suited to its line of work, and wants one per cent of its employees to be autistic by 2020. The plight of sufferers was first brought into the public eye by Dustin Hoffman (pictured) in Rainman

Brain-boosting Mediterranean diet could slow down the onset of dementia more effectively than low-fat alternative

People in Mediterranean countries eat more fish, nuts, whole grains and olive oil, which combat heart disease

Just six years of eating Mediterranean-style diet can boost and preserve brain power in old age more effectively than a low-fat diet.

Can a cup of tea help you look younger AND lose weight? Drinks company unveils first ever 'beauty beverage'

AT3ERG A young woman drinking a cup of herbal tea

Kusmi, a Parisian tea brand beloved by the fashion world, have unveiled the first ever BB Detox Tea. This £12.70 Beauty Beverage claims to cater to all your skin’s daily needs.

Final picture of 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius and the girlfriend he shot dead shows smiling Reeva days before her death and the pet monkey 'they both adored'

Golden couple: The photo provides a moving insight into the life of the lovers, who friends claim appeared every inch South Africa's perfect couple

The photo provides a moving insight into the life of the lovers, who friends claim appeared every inch South Africa's golden couple. But four days after it was taken, Reeva would be dead and Pistorius in court charged with her murder. 'He was tickling her,' Pistorius' best friend Christo Menelaou said. 'They were lovers and also real friends.'

Oscar Pistorius' brother weeps as he is acquitted of culpable homicide of female motorcyclist in car accident five years ago

Carl Pistorius, brother of Oscar Pistorius, accused of murder, stands inside the court for his culpable homicide case at the Magistrate Court in Vanderbijlpark

The magistrate ruled that Carl Pistorius was not negligent and that Maria Barnard was driving her motorcycle excessively fast when she crashed into the back of his vehicle in 2008.

Archie Comics' only gay character has his first kiss inspired by One Million Moms boycott

Moving forward: Openly-gay character Kevin Keller, right, kissing his boyfriend Devon. The issue will go on sale on August 7

It may have been read by teenagers for more than 70 years, but Archie Comics is proving it is still as current as ever.

Should you be taking vitamin B to protect against Alzheimer's?

Research on the effect of B vitamins on mild cognitive impairment was done at Oxford University

New research on the effect of three B vitamins - B6, B12 and folic acid - was done at Oxford University and the results were impressive. Here's everything you need to know.

Children who live near a busy road are more likely to develop ADHD

Traffic particulates may cause narrowed blood vessels in the body and toxicity in the brain's frontal cortex - this could result in ADHD in children

Scientists at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre in the U.S. say that traffic particulates may cause narrowed blood vessels in the body and toxicity in the brain's frontal cortex.

Customs officers seize dead MONKEY and ELEPHANT meat at LAX in 'weird wildlife week'

The agency revealed on Monday that the illegal items were seized between May 6th and May 10th at the international mail facility at Los Angeles International Airport.

In one of their more unusual seizures, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Los Angeles have confiscated nearly half a pound of exotic petrified elephant meat, a dead monkey and hundreds of handbags made from the skin of snakes, lizards and crocodiles.

Mother 'left baby to die in hot car six months after she was arrested for other child neglect counts and a DUI'

Charged: Catalina Marista Bruno, 30, is charged with aggravated manslaughter after police say she forgot her 11-month-old son inside her car

Catalina Marista Bruno, 30, was charged with aggravated manslaughter in Miami-Dade County on Saturday after her son’s unconscious body was pulled from her car with a temperature of 109-degrees on Thursday.

Vatican forced to tighten security at the Sistine Chapel after pickpockets target huge crowds of tourist

Tourists craning their necks to admire the Sistine Chapel are being pick-pocketed by thieves taking advantage of the crowds

Official guides have threatened to go on strike if security is not improved in and around the Vatican. A similar protest recently took place at the Louvre, in Paris.

Obesity, heart disease and asthma could all be determined in the womb due to a mother's diet

Obesity, asthma, allergies, cardiovascular disease and many more conditions might be handed on from mother to child

The British Nutrition Foundation says that women need to know that their weight and health during pregnancy, and before, plays a key part in securing a healthy future for their children.

Is Bolt the world's most expensive bird? Europe's fastest pigeon bought by Chinese millionaire for $500,000

Popular: The huge internet auction attracted an estimated 300,000 would-be buyers from around the world

A Chinese millionaire pigeon fancier paid almost £300,000 for the pigeon Bolt. It followed a huge auction by Belgian owner Leo Heremans, 66, who made an astonishing £3.8 million.

Runaway, bride! Woman in wedding dress flees as she is chased across grass by excitable dog

Wedding Dress Shocker

The Youtube video features an unnamed woman called Morgan being filmed by a friend or family member after visiting her grandmother in the shimmering dress. Suddenly an energetic dog, which appears to be a brown boxer, bursts out of the door and hurtles towards the unlucky bride-to-be.

How echo technique could help the blind: Visually impaired can locate items by listening to echoes - like dolphins and bats

They used sounds with different bandwidths and lengths to reveal which aspects of the sounds were important

The research found those with impaired vision have the potential to use echolocation to find objects in the same manner as animals such as dolphins or bats.

Godfather of sorority girl shot dead by police in intruder stand-off lashes out at their failure to negotiate with gunman

d

Henrique Santos, the godfather of Andrea Rebello, 21, spoke with the media earlier today and was highly critical of the Nassau County police officer who fired eight shots as the student was being held by an armed intruder.

Babies who breathe second-hand smoke are more likely to be aggressive adults

Previous research has found 'sidestream' passive smoke from burning cigarettes is more toxic than smoke which has been inhaled and exhaled

New research from the University of Montreal claims even temporary exposure to passive smoke can cause lasting damage to the brains of children under 10.

Man played at-home vet by stitching up his cut dog with twine and clamping mouth shut with duct tape so it couldn't whine

Dog duct taped by owner

Animal Rescue Services were alerted to the plight of the poor pooch after an anonymous caller noticed the dog's muzzle was taped shut at a house in San Antonio, Texas.

Record-breaking 18ft python that weighs 128lb is captured and killed in Florida

Taking measurements: Python being measured in University of Florida Lab after it was captured and killed near Miami

The Burmese Python, an invasive species to the Florida Everglades, was found and killed by Jason Leon in a rural area southeast of Miami. He managed to snare the snake after seeing part of its body sticking out the undergrowth. With the help of a friend he killed the snake with a knife. According to University of Florida scientists, the snake was not carrying eggs.

All shook up: How Elvis the kitten has survived a poisoning, dialysis AND a kidney transplant before his first birthday

Nine lives: Vet Dr Foster and his team gave Elvis a kidney transplant after the kitten ate a poisonous lily

Elvis the kitten may only be a year old but he has already cheated death several times. A Valentine's Day bouquet was the start of the Delaware kitten's run of bad luck, after the poisonous flowers led to an emergency kidney transplant.

She's dead to me: Disgruntled ex converts tattoo of former flame into skull rather than getting it removed following their bad split

This disgruntled ex went to great lengths to make their feelings about Jennifer clear post split

This person got a tattoo if their ex named Jennifer, that included her entire face that spanned the length of the individual's limb and they turned it into a grim image after their break up.

80-year-old Japanese adventurer bids to become world's oldest person to climb Mt Everest (...never mind the FOUR heart operations he's had in the last five years)

Bold timer: 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, is greeted by his friend climber Kenji Kondo while resting at his camp at 6,500 meters

Juichiro Miura, from Japan, plans to reach the summit of the planet's tallest peak by Thursday and, as these pictures show, hardly appears to have broken a sweat.

Over 85,000 military veterans were treated for sex abuse last year and 40 per cent of those were MEN

Victim: It took years for Ruth Moore (pictured) of Milbridge, Maine, to begin getting treatment from a VA counseling center in 2003, 16 years after she was raped

Of the 85,000 victims, 4,000 sought disability benefits last year. But it took Ruth Moore (pictured), of Maine, years to begin her treatment after being raped 16 years ago.

Rare moon dust collected during Apollo 11 mission discovered in Californian warehouse - 43 YEARS after being abandoned

A total of 20 vials containing moon dust and rocks collected during the Apollo 11 mission have been found abandoned in a warehouse in California.

Archivists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California have unearthed 20 vials of moon dust dating back to 24 July 1970, collected by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo 11 mission.

Inside America's luxury bomb shelters: The underground homes which have enough space for pools, basketball courts... and even private jets

shelters

It is the latest boom in real estate to sweep the nation complete with all the features of luxury living such as indoor pools, gyms, basketball courts and in some rare cases room for your private airplane. The only catch is that the property is buried deep underground in bomb shelters designed to escape the apocalypse.

Vatican forced to tighten security at the Sistine Chapel after pickpockets target huge crowds of tourist

Tourists craning their necks to admire the Sistine Chapel are being pick-pocketed by thieves taking advantage of the crowds

Official guides have threatened to go on strike if security is not improved in and around the Vatican. A similar protest recently took place at the Louvre, in Paris.

Opium addicts of Afghanistan: Number of junkies TRIPLES to 150,000 despite war on drugs

Deadly addiction: Abdul Rahman, 44, exhales after smoking opium as his children watch him at his home in Laghman province in Afghanistan. Heroin addicts in the country have tripled, according to the UN

Photos of fathers smoking the deadly drug in front of their children and groups of addicts huddled around in treatment centres reveal the extent of the problem in the war-torn country.

A giant meteor - not overhunting - wiped out the woolly mammoth because it struggled to cope with the rapid climate change that followed

The woolly mammoth was probably wiped out by rapid climate change caused by a meteor striking the Earth, not by hunting as previously believed

Research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that a meteor strike 12,800 years ago caused rapid climate change which caused the extinction of the mammoth.

'My darling sweet Glenda:' Woman finds 47-year-old love letter among the rubble between elderly couple who died in the Hood County tornado last week

Love

A love letter between Glenda and Robert Whitehead, a couple killed in the Hood County, Texas tornado on May 15, was discovered among the rubble of the twister.

Meet the blind gunslinger who hits 80 percent of his targets thanks to sound alone

Sharp shooter: Jim Mikka is seen behind his HMR 17 rifle while wearing a pair of headphone he says transmits a sound helping him find his intended target

Firing off shots at just a half a second apart, roughly 80 percent of Jim Miekka's ammunition nails his target about 100 yards away. It's a decent feat for a rifle marksman, but for this Florida man, it’s positively remarkable. 'When I first started I was hitting about 25 percent of the time,' Mr Miekka who lives in Homosassa said. 'Now I think I’m hitting about 80 percent or something like that.'

The blood test that can identify women most at risk of post-natal depression

A blood test that can tell if a pregnant woman is at risk of post-natal depression is being developed. Gwyneth Paltrow has spoken of her battle with the condition

Scientists at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore have created a test which is 85 per cent accurate in spotting mothers-to-be who will develop the condition which has affected celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow.

Practice may NOT make perfect: Innate talent is what's required for greatness in areas such as games or music

Differences in practice levels are not enough to explain why people differ in ability when taking part in activities such as playing chess or music

Scientists at Michigan State University, in the U.S., found that differences in practice levels are not enough to explain why people differ in ability at certain activities.

Plans for 1,000ft 'space hotel' on artificial Dubai-style island off coast of Barcelona sparks anger

Cosmic: The island will have a 984ft space hotel with amazing views of the coast

Barcelona city hall has spoken out against plans to build a 1.5billion euro island off the coast of the Catalan city. The planners, Mobilona, intend to build a Space Hotel that is the tallest building in Europe.

Hidden camera in nursing home shows worker shove feces-covered rags in elderly lady's face and blow nose on her sheets

nursing home

Four staffers at St Joseph's at Fleming, Ontario, have been suspended after Hellen MacDonald's son left a camera secretly recording in his mother's room.

Acupuncture used to treat two sea turtles found stranded off Cape Cod with hypothermia

Acupuncturist Claire McManus treats a sea turtle, which was injured after getting stranded on Cape Cod during a prolonged exposure to cold weather

Sea turtles Dexter and Fletcher Moon, remained calm as a Massachusetts acupuncturist gently tapped more than a dozen needles into their grayish-green, leathery skin during a therapy session following a recent cold spell. The special procedure was intended to decrease inflammation and swelling on their front flippers, restore a full range of motion on those limbs and help the animals regain their appetites.

   

DON'T MISS

Psst, do you wanna know a secret? The unbearable cuteness of prairie dogs

Shh: These adorable animals appear to be sharing a secret

Showing their love, a pair even shared a kiss as one prairie dog appeared to tenderly cup the other's face. When two prairie dogs meet they snuffle at each other’s face and nose. This ‘kiss of recognition’ is more than just politeness; rubbing the corners of the mouth triggers an anti-biting reaction – and so a courtesy call really is an amicable affair.

Firefighters use a ladder truck to rescue a BEAR stuck in a neighborhood tree

d

The bear, which weighed over 150 pounds, was asleep after it was tranquilized before the firefighters used a ladder to bring it down in a residential neighborhood of Colorado Springs.

John McAfee accuses Belize government of paying 'low-level individual' to set fire at his island home which caused $500,000 damage

Scorched: John McAfee's property in Belize was destroyed by a bush fire on May 16 but he claims foul play

Two buildings at the software tycoon's $5million island compound in the Central American country were gutted by fire on May 16.

Who are you calling a wrinkly? The 83-year-old body builder who is taking on the boys at their own game

Raymond Moon

Raymond Moon was confirmed as the world's oldest bodybuilder as hr flexed his muscles on stage at the World Fitness Federation International Championships in Melbourne, Australia. The feat is even more remarkable as it he was back on stage for the first time since battling bladder cancer.

WORLD NEWS

Golden couple: The photo provides a moving insight into the life of the lovers, who friends claim appeared every inch South Africa's perfect couple        

From how wind travels around Earth to the patterns of gliding bacteria, the stunning images taken during scientific research

Winning entries from the Princeton University Art of Science competition showing the flow of wind around Earth, gliding bacterium, ovary cells and more

The detailed photos, which include images of RNA molecules that help form part of a fruit fly ovary and also drops of liquids trapped between two solids, were among the entrants to this year's Art of Science competition at Princeton University. including images of how wind travels around the Earth Over 170 photos were submitted and the best 44 are on display at the campus.

Chinese village buries beloved 28-year-old bull known as ‘the king’ with huge funeral honouring his career in the ring

Funeral: The 'King of Bulls' died of old age on Sunday

Large crowds of villagers in Leishan county, Guizhou province, attended the funeral of the bull, which died on Sunday.

Around the world on a unicycle: Man takes sport to extreme lengths with incredible collection of pictures from across the globe

Unicycle

Canadian Kris Holm has traversed the Great Wall of China, descended a 6000-metre volcano and braved the Grand Canyon while riding on a single wheel. As these breathtaking pictures show, he is not afraid of tackling any terrain - from perilous cliff edges to jagged mountain tops.

   

TOP SPORT STORIES