09/12/14 ~ CROSS RIVER UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Friday, 12 September 2014

SCIENCE NEWS: Scientists 'reset' stem cells to study start of human development

LONDON (Reuters) - British and Japanese scientists have managed to "reset" human stem cells to their earliest state, opening up a new realm of research into the start of human development and potentially life-saving regenerative medicines.

In work described by one independent expert as "a major step forward", the scientists said they had successfully rebooted pluripotent stem cells so they were equivalent to those of a 7 to 10-day old embryo, before it implants in the womb.

By studying the reset cells, they said they hoped they would now be able to learn more about embryo development, and how it can go wrong and cause miscarriage and developmental disorders.

"These cells may represent the real starting point for formation of tissues in the human embryo," said Austin Smith, director of the Britain's Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, who co-led the research published in the journal Cell on Thursday.

"We hope that in time they will allow us to unlock the fundamental biology of early development, which is impossible to study directly in people," he added.

Human pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the cells and tissues in the body, can already be made in a lab either from cells extracted from early-stage embryos or from adult cells that have been induced, or reprogrammed, into an earlier state.

But, the researchers said in a statement, until now it has proved difficult to generate human pluripotent stem cells that are at an early enough, pristine stage, before they have started changing.

Instead, scientists have only derived cells that are slightly further down the developmental pathway, not a totally "blank slate", said Smith.

Experts say that by helping to regenerate tissue, stem cell science could offer new ways of treating conditions for which there are currently no cures - including heart and eye diseases, Parkinson's and stroke.

"GOOD NEWS FOR PATIENTS"

The process of generating stem cells in the lab is much easier to control in mouse cells, which can be frozen in a state of very early pluripotency using a protein called LIF. Human cells are not as responsive to LIF, so they must be controlled in a different way that involves switching key genes on and off.

Smith said this was the main reason why scientists have been unable to generate human pluripotent cells that are as primitive and pristine as their mouse equivalents.

To avoid this problem, the scientists introduced two genes – NANOG and KLF2 – which caused a network of genes controlling the cell to reboot and induce the early pluripotent state.

Yasuhiro Takashima of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, who worked with Smith, said the reset cells opened the door to a new phase of research.

"We now need to carry out further studies to establish how our cells compare with others," he said. "We don't yet know whether these will be a better starting point than existing stem cells for therapies, but being able to start entirely from scratch could prove beneficial."

Chris Mason, a stem cell expert and professor of regenerative medicine at University College London who was not involved in this work, praised its results and implications.

"Having a source of pristine stem cells which can be precisely changed into clinical-relevant cell types is a major step forward," he said in an emailed comment.

"The benefits could be safer and more clinically effective cell therapies produced at lower cost – good news for patients and healthcare providers."

(Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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SCIENCE NEWS: Warmer air caused ice shelf collapse off Antarctica

16:36 No comments

(Reuters) - Warmer air triggered the collapse of a huge ice shelf off Antarctica in 2002, according to a report on Thursday that may help scientists predict future break-ups around the frozen continent.

Antarctica is a key to sea level rise, which threatens coastal areas around the world.. It has enough ice to raise seas by 57 meters (190 feet) if it ever all melted, meaning that even a tiny thaw at the fringes is a concern.

Until now, the exact cause of the collapse of the Larsen-B ice shelf, a floating mass of ice bigger than Luxembourg at the end of glaciers in the Antarctic Peninsula, had been unknown. Some experts suggested it was thinned by sea water from below.

Writing in the journal Science, a team of scientists blamed rising air temperatures, saying that melt water and rain in the brief Antarctic summer had flowed into deep cracks.

Water expands when it turns to ice, and the re-freezing meltwater in the Larsen-B shelf - perhaps 200 meters thick - led to a build-up of huge pressures that shattered the ice in 2002.

A rival theory had been that warmer sea water had destabilized ice where the shelf was grounded on the seabed. Studying the seabed, however, the scientists found evidence that water had flowed freely under the ice for the past 12,000 years.

"This implies that the 2002 Larsen-B Ice Shelf collapse likely was a response to surface warming," they wrote. Since 2002, several other shelves have broken up around the Antarctic Peninsula, which is below South America.

WARNING SIGN

The Larsen-B captured the public imagination and even featured in a Hollywood disaster movie about climate change, "The Day After Tomorrow", showing a huge crevasse appearing through a scientific base on the ice.

"Hollywood underplayed that one," said Eugene Domack, an author of the study at the University of South Florida. "It fractured into thousands of icebergs, not just one huge crevasse."

Loss of floating ice shelves does not directly affect sea levels but can accelerate the slide of glaciers from land into the sea, raising levels. Thursday's study was by scientists in Italy, the United States, Portugal, Germany, Canada and Britain.

Domack told Reuters the findings could help scientists spot other ice at risk of breaking up. Pools of summer meltwater on the surface of ice shelves - visible from space - could be an early warning sign, he said.

The northern part of the Larsen-C ice shelf, further south and four times the size of the Larsen-B shelf, has been showing signs of instability, he said.

Scientists have linked warmer air over the Antarctic Peninsula to climate change and to a thinning of the ozone hole that shields life from cancer-causing solar rays, driven by man-made chemicals.

A U.N. report on Wednesday said that the ozone layer is showing its first signs of recovery after years of depletion, in a rare piece of good news about the environment.

(Editing by Alison Williams)

SCIENCE NEWS: Planet of the apes: Gibbons are last ape to have genome revealed

16:36 No comments

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Gibbons - the small, long-armed tree swingers that inhabit the dense tropical forests of Southeast Asia - have become the last of the planet's apes to have their genetic secrets revealed.

"We now have whole genome sequences for all the great apes and, with this work, also the small apes - gibbons," said Jeffrey Rogers, a primate genetics researcher at the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"This provides new information and insight into the history of the human genome, in evolutionary terms," added Rogers, who participated in the study published in the journal Nature.

Scientists on Wednesday unveiled the genome of gibbons, a close cousin of humans genetically but still the most distantly related to people among the apes.

The study found the genetic underpinning for the fantastic ability of gibbons to swing from tree to tree at speeds of up to 35 mph (56 kph). It also detected an extraordinary number of structural changes in their DNA. Such changes can be troublesome in other species, including causing cancer in people, but do not seem to have been problematic during the evolution of gibbons.

Among the great apes, the chimpanzee genome was published in 2005, followed by the orangutan in 2011 and the gorilla and the bonobo in 2012.

The gibbon genome fills the gap between Old World Monkeys like macaques and baboons and the great apes, said the study leader, primate genomics expert Lucia Carbone of the Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon National Primate Research Center.

Carbone said other studies have estimated the gibbon genome as 96 percent similar to people, compared with 98 percent for chimpanzees, our closest ape cousin.

Gibbons are critically endangered. One species, the Hainan gibbon, has only 20 individuals left. Carbone expressed hope the genome will help forge conservation strategies, for instance to assess genetic diversity in wild populations and identify ones that are most at risk.

These omnivores forage for food in the high forest canopy, eating fruit, leaves, bird eggs, insects and birds. Gibbons are monogamous, forming long-term pairs. Individuals from their 19 species range from roughly 11 pounds (5 kg) to 26 pounds (12 kg).

Gibbons rapidly swing through the forest canopy under tree branches using their arms rather than running on the top of branches. Their arms are 1-1/2 times as long as their legs and they are bipedal when they descend from the trees.

The study found genes involved in growth and development of the arms and shoulders that have undergone unique changes compared with humans and other apes.

The researchers analyzed the genome of a female northern white-cheeked gibbon named Asia and sequenced the genomes of eight other individuals. They estimated gibbons diverged from the other apes 16.8 million years ago.

Unlike other apes and humans, gibbons have experienced a lot of structural changes in their DNA known as "chromosomal rearrangements." These can be disruptive and can lead to disease like chronic myeloid leukemia in people.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)

SCIENCE Squirrel-like Jurassic critters shed light on mammal origins

16:36 Science No comments

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It may not have been the friendliest place for furry little creatures, but three newly identified squirrel-like mammals thrived in the trees of the Jurassic Period, with dinosaurs walking below and flying reptiles soaring above.

Scientists announced on Wednesday the discovery in China of fossils belonging to three critters in a find that sheds light on a poorly understood collection of ancient mammals, and indicates that mammals as a group appeared earlier than some experts thought.

The three species come from a group called haramiyids that previously had been known only from isolated teeth and fragmented jaws. Scientists had not even been sure they were mammals at all.
The nicely preserved fossils from Liaoning Province in northeastern China proved definitively they were mammals, in part because of the presence of three bones of the middle ear characteristic of all mammals from shrews to whales to people.

The three species - whose scientific names are Shenshou lui, Xianshou linglong and Xianshou songae - date from about 160 million years ago, a time when dinosaurs ruled the land. But a number of recent fossil discoveries have shown that mammals were far more diverse during that period than previously recognized.

The three species likely looked like small squirrels, with slim bodies and elongated fingers in the hands and feet, indicating they were dedicated tree dwellers. They had long and probably prehensile, or grasping, tails, another feature that helped them stay in the tree branches.

"I would predict that they spent even more time in the trees than squirrels," said Jin Meng, a vertebrate paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who led the study published in the journal Nature.

Based on the shape of their teeth, they probably were omnivorous, eating insects, nuts and fruit, Meng said. The remains were so well preserved that they showed more than just the hard parts such as teeth and bones that commonly fossilize, but also soft parts such as fur and the animal's guts, he added.

The three species had an estimated weight ranging from about that of a mouse, one ounce, to that of a small squirrel, about 10 ounces. While they may have looked and acted like today's squirrels, they were only very distantly related to them.

The researchers said these fossils, along with other evidence, suggests that the first true mammals that evolved from mammal-like ancestors appeared perhaps 208 million years ago during the Triassic Period. Some scientists have contended that mammals entered the picture millions of years later than that.

(Reporting by Will Dunham. Editing by Andre Grenon)

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TOP NEWS: Oscar Pistorius verdict: Steenkamp family protest

16:36 Sports No comments

Oscar Pistorius faces up to 15 years in jail for culpable homicide.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp say "justice was not served" after South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was acquitted of murdering their daughter.

June and Barry Steenkamp told NBC News of their "disbelief" that the court had believed Pistorius's version of events.

Judge Thokozile Masipa found him guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, saying the state had failed to prove he intended to kill.

Pistorius has been allowed bail ahead of sentencing on 13 October.

Judge Masipa said the athlete had acted "negligently" when he shot his girlfriend through a toilet door, but in the "belief that there was an intruder".

The Paralympic sprinter had strenuously denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake.

But in the interview with NBC, June Steenkamp said: "This verdict is not justice for Reeva.
"I just want the truth. He shot through the door and I can't believe that they believe it was an accident."

At the scene: Pumza Fihlani, BBC News

There is a perception here that most crime is committed by poor black people targeting the white middle classes or the wealthy elite.

Cue "white fear" - a phrase used to refer to the rich white "haves" in society who live behind high walls, afraid of the intruder who may come in the night. It was the threat of this intruder that apparently gripped Pistorius with fear on that tragic morning.

In a country where domestic violence is a serious problem, it is not surprising that many hoped this case would be an impetus for change in the laws protecting women.

It was never proven that this was a case of domestic abuse but this did not stop political parties and women's organisations from using Ms Steenkamp as the face of the vulnerable woman - failed by her country and the system.

Outside court, one protester told me: "Women always lose."
Did Reeva Steenkamp get justice?

Earlier, Arnold Pistorius, the athlete's uncle, said the family was "deeply grateful" to the judge for finding him not guilty of murder and that a "big burden" had been lifted.

"There are no victors in this," he added. "We as a family remain deeply affected by the devastating, tragic event... It won't bring Reeva back but our hearts still go out for her family and friends."

South Africa's prosecuting authority said it was "disappointed" that Pistorius was not convicted of murder but said it would wait until after sentencing to decide whether to appeal.

Pistorius faces up to 15 years in jail, although the judge could suspend the sentence or only impose a fine.

The athlete was also found guilty on a charge of negligently handling a firearm that went off in a restaurant.

He was acquitted of another charge of firing a gun in public, through the sunroof of a car, and of a charge of illegal possession of ammunition in the home where he killed Ms Steenkamp.

June Steenkamp says her daughter has not received justice

Verdict What it means Sentence

Premeditated murder - acquittedIntended and planned to unlawfully kill Reeva Steenkamp, or an intruderMandatory life term - 25 years before parole

Common-law murder - acquittedUnlawfully intended to kill in the heat of the moment but without "malice aforethought". Either: Shot door intending to kill, or knew someone might be killed and still fired gunMinimum of 15 years up to 20 years, at judge's discretion

Culpable homicide (manslaughter) - guiltyNo intention to kill. Takes into account disability, but actions negligent and not in keeping with a reasonable personMaximum of 15 years, possibly between seven and 10 years

Discharging a firearm in public - guilty of restaurant charge, acquitted over sunroof incidentTwo counts for allegedly firing a gun through a car sunroof and discharging a gun at a restaurantA fine or up to five years - for each charge

Illegal possession of ammunition - acquittedIn possession of .38 bullets for which he has no licenceA fine or up to 15 years

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RIP ICON: Ian Paisley: Politicians and religious leaders react to death

12:19 No comments

BBC Northern Ireland Political Reporter Stephen Walker looks back at the life of Ian Paisley.

Political and religious leaders have been reacting to the death of former Democratic Unionist Party leader and first minister Ian Paisley.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Mr Paisley, 88, had been "one of the most forceful and instantly recognisable characters in British politics".

His successor, Peter Robinson, said he was influential and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said he had lost a friend.

His wife, Baroness Eileen Paisley, said the family was heartbroken.

Mr Paisley, who was 88, moved from a political "never man" to Northern Ireland's first minister.

He ended up leading a power-sharing executive at Stormont - although he had supported the strike to bring one down 30 years earlier.

In her statement on Friday, Baroness Paisley said: "Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family, we are heartbroken.

"We loved him and he adored us and our earthly lives are forever changed."

Baroness Paisley said that his funeral would be private.

The prime minister said Mr Paisley was a controversial politician but his contribution in his later years to stability in Northern Ireland was "huge".

"In particular, his decision to take his party into government with Sinn Féin in 2007 required great courage and leadership, for which everyone in these islands should be grateful," Mr Cameron said.

"Ian Paisley will be remembered by many as the 'Big Man' of Northern Ireland politics. He will be greatly missed."

Media caption
Peter Robinson: "More than a colossus in unionism"
Ed Miliband, Leader of the Opposition, said Mr Paisley was "a towering figure in Northern Ireland politics for decades".

"His decision to take the DUP into a power-sharing partnership with Sinn Féin was the ultimate act of political courage and reconciliation," he said.

First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson said that during the height of the Troubles, the "sure and certain ring" of Ian Paisley's voice had a "special resonance" with the people of Northern Ireland.

"I don't think that there's anyone who has had more influence in Northern Ireland over the years," Mr Robinson said.

"Even those who thought the least of his politics thought the most of him as a person."

He said those who knew Ian Paisley knew his priority was his faith - above all else in life.

"In terms of Ian Paisley's political contribution, I think there are many people who look at his early days in the context of the more stable and peaceful society that we have today.

"The Ian Paisley of those days was an Ian Paisley that was keeping together a unionist community that felt it was under fire, that it had no friends to help it constitutionally, that its representatives were being picked off, there was genocide along the border," he said.

However, former Alliance Party leader John Cushnahan said that while he sympathised with the family, he was astonished at the "rewriting" of Ian Paisley's political contribution.

"While I welcome the fact that he ultimately embraced power sharing, it was too little too late and should not be used to excuse the pain and suffering that he inflicted on the people of Northern Ireland for the majority of his political life," he said.

Ian Paisley
Career in numbers
88
years old
40
years in politics
40 years as an MP
37 years as Democratic Unionist Party leader
25 years as an MEP
13 years as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
PA
Mr Cushnahan said that his life was "punctuated with nakedly sectarian acts and deeds".

He said the 1974 power sharing executive in Northern Ireland had been brought down by "a combination of increasing IRA violence and the fascist UWC strike led by Ian Paisley and loyalist paramilitaries".

"Tragically thousands more people were to lose their lives or suffer serious injury before Sinn Féin and the DUP embraced what already been on offer in 1974. The belated conversion of both should not result in an attempt to naively rewrite history."

Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, who was Ian Paisley's deputy first minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he had learned of the death with deep regret and sadness.

"Over a number of decades we were political opponents and held very different views on many, many issues but the one thing we were absolutely united on was the principle that our people were better able to govern themselves than any British government," he said.

"I want to pay tribute to and comment on the work he did in the latter days of his political life in building agreement and leading unionism into a new accommodation with republicans and nationalists."

Media caption
Martin McGuinness: "I've lost a friend"

Analysis: Nick Robinson, BBC political editor

Loved and loathed, admired and feared, the life of the man known simply as "Big Ian" is the story of Northern Ireland's transition from violence to peace.

Some will remember him for a single word - "Never!" - rarely spoken, usually bellowed.

He was, for years, the symbol of unionist defiance and, occasionally, menace.

Others will reflect, instead, on what was to become a routine but nonetheless extraordinary sight.

The sight of him sharing a smile and a laugh with the man who had been his bitter enemy - Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.

Read more: Ian Paisley: From Dr No to Dr Yes

Media caption
Peter Hain: "Paisley was the big man of Northern Ireland politics"
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair said Mr Paisley was "a man of deep convictions".

"The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul searching, did. He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker," he said.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said Mr Paisley was "a man of deep convictions".

"His early career was characterised by an uncompromising position of a constitutional kind. However, his embracing of the change necessary to achieve a discourse that might lead to peace was of immense significance, as was his commitment to building relationships in support of that peace," he said.

Former Irish prime minster Bertie Ahern described Ian Paisley as "a big man with a big heart".

Ian Paisley pictured outside Stormont in 1969

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SCIENCE Largest dinosaur predator was a water-loving quadruped

12:19 No comments

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The biggest dinosaur predator that ever stalked the Earth was also the weirdest.

Scientists announced on Thursday the discovery in Moroccan desert cliffs of new fossil remains of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a 50-foot (15-meter) long, seven-ton African monster that breaks the mold for how a dinosaur predator looked and behaved.

It was roughly 9 feet (2.5 meters) longer than Tyrannosaurus rex and equally massive. Living 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, Spinosaurus also is the only known dinosaur adapted for a water-loving, semi-aquatic lifestyle, the study found.

In addition, it was the only known quadrupedal dinosaur predator, unlike carnivores like T. rex, Allosaurus and Giganotosaurus with their typical two-legged stance.

With relatively short limbs, a front-heavy build, flexible tail and flat hind feet that may have been webbed and used for paddling, Spinosaurus plunged into the waterways and enjoyed an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.

Its elongated, slender jaws and conical teeth were perfect for snaring slippery fish, the scientists found. Its back was topped with a sail-like structure of bony spines 7 feet (2 meters) tall and connected by skin. It stuck out of the water as Spinosaurus waded and swam after prey like sharks, car-size fish and crocodilians.

"The animal is unlike any other predatory dinosaur. There's no blueprint for it. There's no modern-day equivalent for it. It's looking at a completely new kind of animal," said University of Chicago paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim, who led the study published in the journal Science.

Spinosaurus terrorized a vast North African river system from Morocco to Egypt. It may not have been agile on land, Ibrahim said, but occasionally may have taken down other dinosaurs.

"Its snaggle-tooth snout, sickle-shaped claws and monstrous sail give this beast a bizarre profile, one that will be immediately recognized by every kid on our planet," added University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno, who also participated.

Spinosaurus's existence has been known for a century since fragmentary remains were found in Egypt by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer. But those were destroyed in a British bombing raid on Munich in 1944. Other partial remains offered mere glimpses if its anatomy.

Nonetheless, the legend of Spinosaurus had begun. It was featured in the 2001 movie "Jurassic Park III" vanquishing a T. rex.

'MYSTERY MAN'

Everything changed when a local fossil hunter unearthed a partial skeleton in southeastern Morocco in 2008 near the Sahara oasis town of Erfoud. Combined with fossils held in various museums and drawings of Stromer's finds, an accurate reconstruction of Spinosaurus finally evolved.

But nothing was simple. The remains found by the fossil hunter were spirited out of Morocco, depriving scientists of vital information.

They needed to locate him but did not know his identity beyond being "the mystery man with the mustache." He was finally found in 2013 and led the scientists to the excavation site. More fossils were dug up there and the missing partial skeleton turned up in the basement of a Milan museum.

Using CT scans to study the structure of the bones, the researchers created a digital skeleton model and fashioned a life-size 3-D skeleton replica now displayed at Washington's National Geographic Museum.

Ibrahim described Spinosaurus's environment as "the most dangerous place in the history of our planet."

It was the king of waterways teeming with sharks and 36-foot (11-meter) crocodilians, Ibrahim said. Flying reptiles with wingspans of 23 feet (7 meters) soared overhead. On land, the 40-foot (12-meter) dinosaur predator Carcharodontosaurus was on the prowl for a meal.

Its fossils revealed unmistakable adaptations for life mostly in the water. Its unusual body plan including a relatively small pelvis and short hind legs resembles mammalian whale ancestors that appeared 45 million years later.

Small nostrils on the middle of the skull enabled it to breathe when part of the head was submerged, the scientists said. Dense bones lacking marrow cavities of other predatory dinosaurs helped control buoyancy. Powerful, long-boned feet with long, flat claws were probably used for paddling. Its flexible tail could have been used for swimming like in a crocodile.

(Reporting by Will Dunham; editing by Gunna Dickson)

PET NEWS: Manchester Dogs Home: Why is the fundraising so successful?

12:19 No comments

One of the rescued dogs in Manchester. The campaign to support survivors of the fire has sparked a huge public response
The story of the fire at the Manchester Dogs' Home has seen animal-lovers flock to donate more than £750,000 and raise awareness by posting "selfies" of themselves and their dog. But why do some tragedies provoke such outpourings when others do not?

The corner of Kaylea Brough's beauty salon, in Bolton, is crammed with donations.

Gifts of dog beds, blankets and pet food have been left all morning by passers-by, eager to try to help more than 150 dogs down the road in Manchester who are homeless at the second time of asking, thanks to a fire in which many died.

Kaylea Brough is calling on passers-by to drop any donations into her salon - Permanently Perfect
Kaylea herself has three dogs - two shih tzus and a Chihuahua - named Patrick, Millie and Daisy and says she instantly identified with the tragedy.

She put out a call on social media on Friday morning, asking for customers and passers-by to drop off items to help the animals.

"I'm known as the 'Crazy Dog Lady' so people wouldn't have expected anything less of me," she said.

"I'm a massive dog lover and I could instantly imagine how scared those poor animals will be."

Comedian Ricky Gervais has supported the campaign on social media
On social media, the story has also sparked a huge response.

Celebrities, such as Ricky Gervais, have led the fundraising charge, along with papers like the Manchester Evening News.

A craze for dog selfies has also taken off on social media, with people showing their support for the campaign by taking photographs of themselves and their pets.

Regan Shepherd says he supported the campaign because he is an animal-lover
When asked why he had taken part, animal-lover Regan Shepherd said: "I am a pet lover. I have Barney, who is a pug, and my mum has two dogs as well."

"I'm a massive animal fan in general and like to give to charity but dogs really pull at my heartstrings," added Chloe Rivers, who has posted a selfie with her dog, Miso.

Chloe Rivers with her dog Miso. Ms Rivers says animal charities really pull at her heartstrings
"People want to prove they have a genuine connection to a cause and a legitimate reason for supporting it, so proving you have a loved pet is a way of saying 'this is my thing'," said Dr Beth Breeze, the director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent.

According to a study by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Charities Aid Foundation, we give markedly more to charities related to medical research - mainly cancer, hospitals, children and animals than we do to groups supporting religious, disabled, overseas and homeless causes.

Resident Michael Parker with Misty the Jack Russell - one of the dogs from the home
"It's not that we dismiss those other causes," said Dr Breeze. "It's just what people identify with.

"Nobody is saying a dog is more important than somebody dying in a famine - they're just saying, 'This is what I know about and care about.'"

Katie MacNeill's selfie with her dog Buddy. Posting selfies to back the campaign is a way of saying, "This is my thing", say experts
She says there is often no rhyme or reason as to why some campaigns - such as Staffordshire teenager Stephen Sutton's extraordinary fundraising efforts for the teenage cancer trust, and Claire Squires, the Leicestershire runner who died during the 2012 London Marathon - enjoy such meteoric success.

Often, she says, the emotional grip of a particular story is something that is beyond a charity's control.

The Manchester Dogs' Home campaign is, in some ways, the perfect example of a story that is likely to resonate in a very personal way, she says.

"Animals are a very British concern," she said.

"You don't find the same support for animal charities in other countries. There is something very specific about animal causes that expresses how passionately we feel towards our pets."

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SHOCKING NEWS: Northiam shooting: Seven-year-old girl dies in hospital

12:19 No comments

Mary Shipstone was shot in the head by a man thought to be her father
A seven-year-old girl, thought to have been shot in the head by her father in East Sussex, has died in hospital.

Mary Shipstone died at 14:56 BST in King's College Hospital in south London where she was flown after the shooting on Thursday afternoon.

The body of Yasser Alromisse, believed to be Mary's estranged father, was found at the scene. Sussex Police said a gun had been recovered.

Mr Alromisse did not live with the family in the Spring Hill area.

His body was found in a car parked on a driveway next to Mary's home. A vehicle, thought to be that car, was taken away on a lorry on Friday evening.

The area around the scene has been cordoned off since the shooting, which happened at about 16:00.

"This is a fast-moving investigation and there are still a large amount of inquiries being carried out before we can confirm the full picture of what happened," said Det Ch Insp Jason Taylor.

"We are currently trying to establish Mr Alromisse's movements over the last few days and are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard from him.

"At this time however, I am not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation and believe this to be an isolated incident."

Prayers were said on Friday morning at Mary's school, Beckley Church of England Primary in Beckley near Rye, which said it was a "dreadfully sad and shocking incident".

The car, which is believed to have belonged to Yasser Alromisse, has been removed from the scene
East Sussex divisional commander, Ch Supt Neil Honnor, said it was a tragic domestic incident which had had the most terrible outcome for the family.

"We are working with partner agencies and local leaders to support and reassure the community who are understandably upset about what has happened," he said.

"We are trying to be as open and honest with the public as we can but have to take into account the traumatic experience the family is going through as well as the fact that this is an ongoing investigation."

Mary lived with her mother and brother. The family released a statement through Sussex Police which said: "We are today grieving the death of our beautiful and loving Mary.

"We would please ask that the public and media respect our privacy and allow us to try to come to terms with what has happened."

The body of Yasser Alromisse was found in a car at the scene of the girl's shooting in Northiam on Thursday

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SCIENCE NEWS: Astronaut, cosmonauts back on Earth after six months in space

12:19 No comments

CAPE CANAVERAL Fla (Reuters) - Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut returned to Earth on Wednesday, capping a nearly six-month stay aboard the International Space Station.

Riding inside a Russian Soyuz capsule, former station commander Steve Swanson and cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev landed southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan at 8:23 a.m. Thursday (10:23 p.m. EDT Wednesday/0223 GMT).

"A pinpoint touchdown," said NASA mission commentator Rob Navias.

The men rode home in the same Soyuz capsule that carried them to the station in March. They departed at 7:01 p.m. EDT (2301 GMT) as the station soared 260 miles (418 km) over eastern Mongolia.

"We accomplished a lot. We've had a lot of fun," Swanson said during a change-of-command ceremony on Tuesday that was broadcast on NASA Television.

In addition to a pair of Russian space walks, the returning crew tackled a record number of science experiments, upgraded the station's prototype humanoid robot and repaired broken equipment.

"We did a lot of maintenance, which is good and bad," Swanson said. "I love doing maintenance, but it means things broke."

New station commander Max Suraev remains aboard the orbital outpost along with NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman and the European Space Agency's Alexander Gerst.

Three new crew members, including the first Russian woman to serve on the station, are due to launch on Sept. 25.

"Getting three new faces up here will be lots of fun," Wiseman said in an inflight interview.

The newcomers are NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore and cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova. Serova will become only the fourth Russian woman to fly in space and the first to serve on the International Space Station, a $100 billion research complex owned by 15 nations.

The last Russian woman to fly in space was Yelena Kondakova, who was part of a NASA space shuttle crew in May 1997.

(Editing by Ken Wills)

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SPORT NEWS: Football's not a game for girls' - Ancelotti defends Atletico's style

10:31 Sports No comments

The coach sees nothing wrong with the intensity which the Rojiblancos show in matches and confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo is fit to play in the Madrid derby

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has rejected suggestions that Atletico Madrid are a violent team and insisted "football is not a GAME

for girls".

The Madrid derbies have become even feistier than usual over the past two years as Diego Simeone's men have gone from Europa League spot contenders to Champions League finalists and La Liga winners.

Criticism has been levelled at the combative style of play which teams can expect when they face Atletico, but Ancelotti has defended Real's rivals' right to fight for every ball.

"Atletico are not a violent team - they are intense and aggressive," the Italian said at a press conference ahead of Saturday's clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Football is a sport for men, it is not a game for girls."

However, Ancelotti disagreed with Simeone's claim that Atletico are a team of the people in Spain, rather than the footballing goliaths of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

"I think football is for the people, not just a team," he continued. "All teams have fans all over the world. It's a sport for the people."

Ancelotti also revealed that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo is in perfect shape for the Madrid derby, after two weeks of rest during the international break.

The Ballon d'Or holder played no part in Real Madrid's last game a fortnight ago - which the European champions lost 4-2 at Real Sociedad - but the former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss says his fitness woes are over for now.

"Cristiano is in perfect physical condition, he has no problems," he added.

"He has been training very well. He does not have a chronic injury - last season it was a different injury which was the problem, so it's nothing chronic."

The Madrid derby kicks off at 20:00CET on Saturday.

FOOTBALL NEWS: Crespo: Torres perfect match for AC Milan

10:28 Football No comments

The Spaniard has joined the Rossoneri on a loan deal from Chelsea and the ex-San Siro forward suspects greatness awaits Filippo Inzaghi's new signing

AC Milan legend Hernan Crespo thinks that Fernando Torres will be the "perfect" striker for the club.

The Rossoneri sold their star forward, Mario Balotelli, to Liverpool this summer after an inconsistent 18-month spell at San Siro which started with a bang but ended with a whimper.

Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi replaced the Italy international with Torres on a two-year loan deal from Chelsea, where he had failed in three and a half seasons to offer a regular goal threat.

Despite his troubles at Stamford Bridge, Crespo - another player who struggled after a mega-money move early in Roman Abramovich's era - suggests that the Spaniard can provide the regular goals which Balotelli failed to offer in 2013-14.

"Technically, he is a great striker," Crespo, who currently coaches Parma's youth team, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He guarantees presence in the penalty area, he's fast and he attacks the space.

"Considering the midfield Milan have, Torres might just be the perfect man to fit the jigsaw puzzle.

"On the other hand, if you thought that Balotelli was a 25-goals-a-season striker then you had it all wrong. He has never had that continuity. He can change a game in an instant with some skill, but he can't do that every game."

Torres is expect to make his debut against Parma on Sunday as the Serie A table-toppers look to build on their opening day 3-1 win over Lazio.

FOOTBALL NEWS: Hernandez: I've already seen why Ronaldo is better than Messi

10:27 Football No comments

The Mexico international has only been at the Santiago Bernabeu since the start of the month but has been blown away by what the Ballon d'Or holder can do

New Real Madrid signing Javier Hernandez says he has already been convinced that Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Lionel Messi.

The Mexico international only joined the European champions on a season-long loan from Manchester United just before the close of the summer transfer window.

However, Hernandez, who moved to Old Trafford a year after Ronaldo left for Madrid, says that he has already been blown away by what the Portuguese can do in training.

"Without a doubt, Ronaldo is the best," the 26-year-old striker told El Chiringuito.

"In the little time I have been here, I have seen why he is the best in the world.

"It is not only what he does in games so well but on a day-to-day basis.

"For me, Cristiano is the best. Messi is there too; after Cristiano, there is the Argentine."

However, 'Chicharito' admitted that one player still stands above all others, as far as he is concerned.

"My idol is Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, 'The Phenomen'," he enthused.

"I've never had the chance to meet him, so hopefully one day I can get a picture with him!"

Of course, Brazil legend Ronaldo spent five years at Madrid, and Hernandez is hoping to make just as big an impact at the Santiago Bernabeu this season to persuade the Liga outfit to make the deal permanent next summer.

"I was in the best team in Mexico [Chivas], the best team in England [United] and now I'm in the best team in the world," he mused.

"I must be professional, as this is a great opportunity, but I still belong to Manchester and do not know if I will have to go back."

SPORT NEWS: Fixtures and Result of today and tomorrow games

10:21 Sports No comments

SHOW FIXTURES BY

Friday, September 12, 2014

Primera División			View all fixtures
20:00	Almería	v	Córdoba

Ligue 1			View all fixtures
19:30	Olympique Lyonnais	v	Monaco

Bundesliga			View all fixtures
19:30	Bayer Leverkusen	v	Werder Bremen

Ligue 2			View all fixtures
19:00	Ajaccio	v	Châteauroux
19:00	Angers	v	Gazélec Ajaccio
19:00	Arles	v	Tours
19:00	Clermont	v	Le Havre
19:00	Dijon	v	Niort
19:00	Nîmes	v	Brest
19:00	Orléans	v	Laval
19:00	Valenciennes	v	Créteil

2. Bundesliga			View all fixtures
45'	Bochum	0 - 1	Karlsruher SC
45'	Ingolstadt	1 - 0	Aalen
45'	Kaiserslautern	1 - 0	FSV Frankfurt

Serie B			View all fixtures
19:30	Pescara	v	Bologna

All kick-off times stated as WAT

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Premier League			View all fixtures
12:45	Arsenal	v	Manchester City
15:00	Chelsea	v	Swansea City
15:00	Crystal Palace	v	Burnley
15:00	Southampton	v	Newcastle United
15:00	Stoke City	v	Leicester City
15:00	Sunderland	v	Tottenham Hotspur
15:00	West Bromwich Albion	v	Everton
17:30	Liverpool	v	Aston Villa

Primera División			View all fixtures
15:00	Barcelona	v	Athletic Club
17:00	Málaga	v	Levante
19:00	Real Madrid	v	Atlético Madrid
21:00	Celta de Vigo	v	Real Sociedad

FA Cup			View all fixtures
15:00	Abingdon United	v	Milton United
15:00	AFC Hayes	v	Harrow Borough
15:00	AFC Hornchurch	v	East Thurrock United
15:00	AFC Sudbury	v	FC Romania
15:00	AFC Totton	v	Swindon Supermarine
15:00	Ashington AFC	v	Scarborough Athletic
15:00	Aylesbury	v	Kettering Town
15:00	Bamber Bridge	v	Squires Gate
15:00	Barton Rovers	v	Northwood
15:00	Bedfont & Feltham	v	Uxbridge
15:00	Belper Town	v	Coalville Town
15:00	Biggleswade Town	v	Arlesey Town
15:00	Biggleswade United	v	Leverstock Green
15:00	Billericay Town	v	Hadleigh United
15:00	Bishop Auckland	v	Spennymoor Town
15:00	Bishop's Cleeve	v	Banbury United
15:00	Blaby & Whetstone	v	Tipton Town
15:00	Blackfield & Langley	v	Sherborne Town
15:00	Bodmin Town	v	Bridgwater Town
15:00	Bognor Regis Town	v	Lewes
15:00	Boldmere St. Michaels	v	Bedworth United
15:00	Bowers & Pitsea	v	Witham Town
15:00	Brentwood Town	v	London Colney
15:00	Brighouse Town	v	Ashton United
15:00	Burscough	v	Curzon Ashton
15:00	Buxton	v	Ramsbottom United
15:00	Cambridge City	v	Needham Market
15:00	Chalfont St Peter	v	Hungerford Town
15:00	Cleethorpes Town	v	Carlton Town
15:00	Coleshill Town	v	Barwell
15:00	Corby Town	v	Norton United
15:00	Cray Wanderers	v	Tooting & Mitcham United
15:00	Croydon	v	Burgess Hill Town
15:00	Dorking Wanderers	v	Pagham
15:00	Dulwich Hamlet	v	Worthing
15:00	Dunstable Town	v	Chesham United
15:00	Ellistown & Ibstock Utd.	v	Hereford United
15:00	Enfield Town	v	Felixstowe & Walton Utd.
15:00	Evesham United	v	Redditch United
15:00	Farsley	v	Frickley Athletic
15:00	Flackwell Heath	v	Wantage Town
15:00	Folkestone Invicta	v	Margate
15:00	Frome Town	v	Wimborne Town
15:00	Godalming Town	v	Beaconsfield SYCOB
15:00	Grantham Town	v	Clipstone
15:00	Grays Athletic	v	Harlow Town
15:00	Greenwich Borough	v	Chessington & Hook Utd.
15:00	Halesowen Town	v	Sutton Coldfield Town
15:00	Harrogate Railway	v	Clitheroe
15:00	Haverhill Borough	v	Leiston
15:00	Hendon	v	Rushden & Diamonds
15:00	Hertford Town	v	Canvey Island
15:00	Hitchin Town	v	Daventry Town
15:00	Horndean	v	Newport Isle of Wight FC
15:00	Hythe Town	v	Whitstable Town
15:00	Kempston Rovers	v	North Greenford United
15:00	King's Lynn Town	v	Boston Town
15:00	Knaphill	v	Fleet Town
15:00	Leatherhead	v	Faversham Town
15:00	Leek Town	v	Stourport Swifts
15:00	Lincoln United	v	Stamford
15:00	London Tigers	v	Brightlingsea Regent
15:00	Longwell Green Sports	v	Folland Sports
15:00	Maidstone United	v	Littlehampton Town
15:00	Mangotsfield United	v	Weymouth
15:00	Marine	v	Ossett Town
15:00	Market Drayton Town	v	Stourbridge
15:00	Marske United	v	Dunston UTS
15:00	Matlock Town	v	Ilkeston
15:00	Merstham	v	Chipstead
15:00	Mickleover Sports	v	Staveley MW
15:00	Mildenhall Town FC	v	Wroxham
15:00	Newcastle Benfield FC	v	Bridlington Town
15:00	Newmarket Town	v	Histon
15:00	Northwich Victoria	v	Glossop North End FC
15:00	Norwich United	v	Wisbech Town
15:00	Ossett Albion	v	Droylsden
15:00	Paulton Rovers	v	Taunton Town
15:00	Peacehaven & Telscombe	v	East Preston
15:00	Poole Town	v	Bradford Town
15:00	Ramsgate	v	Raynes Park Vale
15:00	Redhill	v	Carshalton Athletic
15:00	Rugby Town	v	Chasetown
15:00	Runcorn Town	v	Witton Albion
15:00	Rushall Olympic	v	Romulus
15:00	Salford City	v	Nantwich Town
15:00	Sheffield	v	Shepshed Dynamo
15:00	Shildon AFC	v	Whitby Town
15:00	Sholing	v	Chippenham Town
15:00	Shortwood United	v	Cirencester Town
15:00	Skelmersdale United	v	Radcliffe Borough
15:00	Slough Town	v	Ardley United /Hartley Wintney
15:00	South Park	v	Metropolitan Police
15:00	Spalding United	v	Holwell Sports
15:00	St. Neots Town	v	Dereham Town
15:00	Stafford Rangers	v	Tividale
15:00	Thame United	v	Burnham
15:00	Thurrock	v	Welwyn Garden City
15:00	Tilbury	v	Aveley
15:00	Tiverton Town	v	Bideford
15:00	Tonbridge Angels	v	Herne Bay
15:00	Truro City	v	Larkhall Athletic
15:00	VCD Athletic	v	Hampton & Richmond
15:00	Waltham Abbey	v	Barkingside
15:00	Warrington Town	v	Trafford
15:00	West Allotment Celtic	v	Lancaster City
15:00	Whyteleafe	v	Hastings United
15:00	Willand Rovers	v	Saltash United
15:00	Winchester City	v	Bemerton Heath Harleq.
15:00	Wingate & Finchley	v	Ipswich Wanderers
15:00	Workington	v	Consett
15:00	Yate Town	v	Dorchester Town
15:30	Horsham	v	Kingstonian

Serie A			View all fixtures
17:00	Empoli	v	Roma
19:45	Juventus	v	Udinese

Ligue 1			View all fixtures
16:00	Rennes	v	PSG
19:00	Bastia	v	Lens
19:00	Montpellier	v	Lorient
19:00	Nice	v	Metz
19:00	Reims	v	Toulouse
19:00	Saint-Étienne	v	Caen

Championship			View all fixtures
12:15	Birmingham City	v	Leeds United
15:00	AFC Bournemouth	v	Rotherham United
15:00	Blackburn Rovers	v	Wigan Athletic
15:00	Blackpool	v	Wolverhampton Wanderers
15:00	Bolton Wanderers	v	Sheffield Wednesday
15:00	Brentford	v	Brighton & Hove Albion
15:00	Cardiff City	v	Norwich City
15:00	Charlton Athletic	v	Watford
15:00	Huddersfield Town	v	Middlesbrough
15:00	Ipswich Town	v	Millwall
15:00	Reading	v	Fulham

Bundesliga			View all fixtures
14:30	Bayern München	v	Stuttgart
14:30	Borussia Dortmund	v	Freiburg
14:30	Hertha BSC	v	Mainz 05
14:30	Hoffenheim	v	Wolfsburg
14:30	Paderborn	v	Köln
17:30	Borussia M'gladbach	v	Schalke 04

Eredivisie			View all fixtures
17:30	Ajax	v	Heracles
17:30	Twente	v	Go Ahead Eagles
18:45	AZ	v	Heerenveen
19:45	Feyenoord	v	Willem II
19:45	PEC Zwolle	v	PSV

Premiership			View all fixtures
12:45	Celtic	v	Aberdeen
15:00	Dundee United	v	Hamilton Academical
15:00	Kilmarnock	v	St. Mirren
15:00	Partick Thistle	v	Inverness CT
15:00	Ross County	v	Motherwell
15:00	St. Johnstone	v	Dundee

Ligue 2			View all fixtures
13:00	Nancy	v	Sochaux

2. Bundesliga			View all fixtures
12:00	Darmstadt 98	v	Erzgebirge Aue
12:00	RB Leipzig	v	Eintracht Braunschweig

Serie B			View all fixtures
14:00	Avellino	v	Spezia
14:00	Crotone	v	Carpi
14:00	Frosinone	v	Bari 1908
14:00	Modena	v	Pro Vercelli
14:00	Perugia	v	Catania
14:00	Trapani	v	Cittadella
14:00	Varese	v	Virtus Lanciano
14:00	Virtus Entella	v	Brescia

League One			View all fixtures
15:00	Ayr United	v	Stranraer
15:00	Dunfermline Athletic	v	Stenhousemuir
15:00	Forfar Athletic	v	Peterhead
15:00	Greenock Morton	v	Airdrieonians
15:00	Stirling Albion	v	Brechin City

League Two			View all fixtures
15:00	Annan Athletic	v	Berwick Rangers
15:00	Arbroath	v	East Fife
15:00	East Stirlingshire	v	Clyde
15:00	Montrose	v	Albion Rovers
15:00	Queen's Park	v	Elgin City

Segunda División			View all fixtures
15:00	Numancia	v	Ponferradina
17:15	Mallorca	v	Recreativo Huelva
17:30	Deportivo Alavés	v	Barcelona II
19:00	Racing Santander	v	Las Palmas
19:30	Llagostera	v	Osasuna

League One			View all fixtures
15:00	Barnsley	v	Milton Keynes Dons
15:00	Bradford City	v	Swindon Town
15:00	Bristol City	v	Doncaster Rovers
15:00	Chesterfield	v	Scunthorpe United
15:00	Coventry City	v	Yeovil Town
15:00	Crawley Town	v	Fleetwood Town
15:00	Crewe Alexandra	v	Port Vale
15:00	Leyton Orient	v	Colchester United
15:00	Oldham Athletic	v	Gillingham
15:00	Peterborough United	v	Notts County
15:00	Sheffield United	v	Rochdale
15:00	Walsall	v	Preston North End

League Two			View all fixtures
15:00	Accrington Stanley	v	AFC Wimbledon
15:00	Burton Albion	v	York City
15:00	Carlisle United	v	Bury
15:00	Dagenham & Redbridge	v	Cambridge United
15:00	Exeter City	v	Oxford United
15:00	Hartlepool United	v	Tranmere Rovers
15:00	Luton Town	v	Cheltenham Town
15:00	Morecambe	v	Plymouth Argyle
15:00	Newport County	v	Northampton Town
15:00	Southend United	v	Portsmouth
15:00	Stevenage	v	Shrewsbury Town
15:00	Wycombe Wanderers	v	Mansfield Town