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MPs have been told they can claim up to £3,750 if they want to take part in today’s Commons tributes to Baroness Thatcher. Expenses chiefs emailed all 650 MPs to tell them they can receive the sum to cover the cost of returning from their Easter holidays. Critics say the debate could have been held next week when Parliament  returns from its recess. There is nothing to stop MPs covering the cost of attending today’s session themselves. The Union Flag was lowered to half mast over Portcullis House on Monday to mark the death of the former Conservative Prime Minister, which will be debated in the Commons today Commons Speaker John Bercow announced Parliament would be recalled to allow MPs to pay tribute to Baroness Thatcher, who died on Monday aged 87. Under rules covering emergency recalls, MPs can claim travel expenses to return from anywhere in the world. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said that, in line with normal rules, MPs were

If President Barack Obama wanted a showdown over the federal government's 2014 budget, he got his wish - only instead of Republicans vs. Democrats, it's the White House vs. members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. The hefty tome handed to Congress Wednesday afternoon included a $744 billion deficit that sent the GOP howling for fiscal sanity, and leverages the so-called "Chained Consumer Price Index" as a new way of calculating cost-of-living benefit increases - a sure-fire way to enrage liberals in his political base. That projected deficit is down from an estimated $973 billion in fiscal 2013. Though the president claimed his $3.8 trillion proposal for 2014 was a good-faith 'compromise,' Republicans on Capitol Hill laughed it off as the latest in a series of pie-in-the-sky plans to spend the government's way to prosperity. 'It's quite similar, frankly, to his budget last year, and it's two months late,' said Sena

A Philadelphia pediatrician pleaded for her life as she was strangled by an exterminator working in her home this year, police have revealed. The confession by 37-year-old suspect Jason Smith was read by police on Wednesday in court. Police said that Smith cried and apologized as he admitted to choking Dr Melissa Ketunuti to death, tying her up and burning her corpse. A judge then ordered Smith held for trial on charges including murder and arson in the death of Dr Ketunuti, 35. Smith was dealing with a mouse infestation in the doctor's home at the time, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. According to Smith's statement, he attacked Dr Ketunuti in the basement of her downtown home on January 21 after she criticized his work. The statement says Smith strangled her, tied her and up and set a fire to destroy evidence. Surveillance video from nearby businesses helped lead to Smith's arrest a few days later at his Levittown home. Smith's lawyer did not immedi

The mother of a 13-year-old boy told how he scrubbed himself in the shower for weeks after he had sex at a swingers' party. And she criticised the justice system after three of four defendants were cleared at Swansea Crown Court of inciting him to engage in sexual activity. She said the verdicts had shocked the family. The mother, who can't be named for legal reasons, said: 'I can't really put into words how I feel. Emmanie Hughes (left), 31, Brian Ecclestone (centre), 32, and Peter Sweetman (right), 32, pictured at Swansea Crown Court on April 2, were all cleared of inciting the 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity with Hughes Iwan Walker, 24, Saron, Llandysul, pictured here outside Swansea Crown Court on April 2, 2013, was the only one of the four to be jailed. He received four years after the jury accepted he knew the boy was only 13 'I've always had faith in the justice system, but not now. I don't f

U.S. defenses could intercept a ballistic missile launched by North Korea if it decides to strike, the top American military commander in the Pacific said on Tuesday, as the relationship between the West and the communist government hit its lowest ebb since the end of the Korean War. Amid increasingly combative rhetoric from Pyongyang, Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, said North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles represents a clear threat to the United States and its allies in the region. The admiral said Kim Jong Un, the country's young and still relatively untested new leader, remains unpredictable after using the past year to consolidate his power. Scroll down for video Resolve: U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Admiral Samuel Locklear III, testified at the Senate Armed Services Committee that the American military was prepared to intercept a missile launched by North Korea   Admiral: We

Armstrong sells estate , Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has sold his Austin estate to an oil-and-gas rights agent. The Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/14d3Ric) reports a deed of trust filed with Travis County last week showed Al Koehler obtained a $3.1 million loan to buy the property, Armstrong's home since 2004. Although county tax rolls listed the 1.7-acre property's value at $3.9 million, local real estate agents say the house was listed at $10 million. However, in an email to the American-Statesman, Koehler says he paid nothing close to the listed value. Koehler is a founder of Royalty Clearinghouse, which buys oil and gas royalties and mineral rights on behalf of clients. Armstrong spokesman Mark Higgins confirmed the sale and says Armstrong plans to remain an Austin resident. Armstrong has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in August and is banned for life from sports.

George W. Bush raises $500 million for his library, Former President George W. Bush has already raised more than $500 million for his presidential library. A report from Yahoo News on Wednesday said that the library is set to open later in April. “It was our goal to raise $500 million by the time the George W. Bush Presidential Center was dedicated, and we reached that goal,” Mark Langdale, president of the George W. Bush Center, tells Time Magazine’s Zeke Miller. Bush has now emerged as one of the most successful post-presidency fundraisers with this total of over $500 million. In order to see how others compare, Bill Clinton had barely raised the $165 million needed to cover the cost of his presidential library when it opened in 2004 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Clinton has gone on to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years for his foundation though. The Bush Library will be dedicated on April 1, 2013, and will officially open on May 1. It cost an

gay marriage is 'suicidal' , The social conservative says gay rights is a trendy issue, not a lasting one Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on Monday cautioned his fellow Republicans against supporting marriage equality, saying that to do so would be "suicidal" for the party. In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Santorum said he didn't think the party would undergo a radical shift on the issue, even though public opinion has been steadily changing for years, to the point that polls now show a solid majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. And he compared the recent conversion on gay marriage by two Republican senators — Illinois' Mark Kirk and Ohio's Rob Portman — to Republicans splitting with the party on abortion rights decades ago. "I'm sure you could go back and read stories, oh, you know, 'The Republican Party's going to change. This is the future.' Obviously that didn’t happen," Santorum told the Re

Dave O'Hara dies , Dave O'Hara, who covered Boston sports greats from Ted Williams to Larry Bird during a 50-year career with The Associated Press, died Wednesday. He was 86. He died of cancer at his home in Winter Haven Fla., his daughter, Debbie O'Hara-Rusckowski, said. Popular with his colleagues and admired for the speed and accuracy of his reporting, O'Hara began his career in May 1942 as a 15-year-old copy boy in the Boston bureau. ''Dave was a no-nonsense sports writer who brought gusto and grit to his work for half a century. He was every bit the epitome of Boston sports as Williams, Orr, Russell, Auerbach and Bird,'' AP Sports Editor Terry Taylor said. ''He gave readers a front-row view of their heroes and heartbreaks, equally at home in the press box or the clubhouse.'' Six months after being hired, O'Hara helped cover a fire that killed 491 at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston. ''Dave wasn't just a spo

Gunman killed after holding Georgia firemen hostage , Police stormed a suburban Atlanta home Wednesday evening and killed a gunman who had held four firefighters hostage since midafternoon. One police officer was slightly wounded in the exchange of gunfire about 7:30 p.m. when a SWAT team rushed into the home, which was in foreclosure and being prepared for sale. The firefighters, who were seized while answering a 911 call for a medical emergency, suffered superficial injuries when officers detonated a flash-bang grenade as they entered, said Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Edwin Ritter. The unidentified gunman was facing eviction and wanted the power and cable TV turned back on, Ritter said. "The SWAT team commander believed their lives were in immediate danger and it was the time to go in there," Ritter said. "It's an unfortunate circumstance. We did not want this to end this way, but with the decisions this guy was making, this was his demise." An explosion was h

New iPad leaked photos, The latest leaked pics of IPad Reveals of major resdesign, sleek design, Rumors started swirling earlier this year that Apple had plans to completely change up the look of its next full-size iPad so that it more closely resembled the iPad Mini. Well, new iPad leaked photos have hit the net and Phonedog.com showed them to the world on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. The 9.7-inch full-size iPad looks as if it will truly resemble the iPad Mini now and the pictures seem to reinforce rumors of narrower side bezels...reported...examiner. Photos have made their way online and they claim that the fifth-generation iPad comes with side bezels similar to those found on the 7.9-inch iPad Mini. This past January, images of iPad's purported rear shell were published and it showed that the new fully sized iPad resembled the iPad Mini. The photos don't just show a redesign of the iPad with the bezels, but also a Facetime camera and home button.The last major redesign from A

Gay marriage 'suicidal' , Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on Monday cautioned his fellow Republicans against supporting marriage equality, saying that to do so would be "suicidal" for the party. In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Santorum said he didn't think the party would undergo a radical shift on the issue, even though public opinion has been steadily changing for years, to the point that polls now show a solid majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. And he compared the recent conversion on gay marriage by two Republican senators — Illinois' Mark Kirk and Ohio's Rob Portman — to Republicans splitting with the party on abortion rights decades ago. "I'm sure you could go back and read stories, oh, you know, 'The Republican Party's going to change. This is the future.' Obviously that didn't happen," Santorum told the Register. "I think you're going to see the same stories written now, and

Kevin Bacon apology , Kevin Bacon apologized after he accidentally spoiled this week’s episode of “The Following,” where Bacon plays FBI agent Ryan Harding. Bacon inadvertently spoiled fans on the episode’s twist ending after retweeting a fan congratulating him for his acting. Actor Kevin Bacon arrives for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Annual Installation Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California August 4, 2011. On Tuesday, a fan with the Twitter handle @jodigomes mentioned Bacon in a spoiler-laded tweet, revealing the big twist ending of that night’s episode of “The Following.” Gleaming with pride, Bacon then retweeted the message to his 234,166 followers, inadvertently spoiling this week’s “The Following” for international audiences who hadn’t seen the episode live. It seems that Bacon didn’t consider that international audiences may not have seen the week’s episode of “The Following.” After all, he’s known the plot twist for months (seeing as he filmed it and everything)

'Breastaurant' trademark - Bikinis bar has got trademarks 'breastaurant', The “breastaurant” trademark has been claimed by the founder of the Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill restaurant chain in Texas. The restaurant chain is known for its servers being dressed in bikini tops, jean shorts, and cowboy boots and has its headquarters in Austin, Texas, reported UPI on April 9, 2013. After the “breastaurant” trademark has been officially registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of the Department of Commerce, no one else can use the same name without violating trademark rights....reported...examiner. Doug Guller, the founder and chief executive officer of Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, is proud of having received the federal trademark. "We're really excited about receiving this federal trademark. Our team has worked hard over the last seven years to offer a unique experience to our fans. It just further solidifies that Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill is Am

A father and his teenage son were shot in broad daylight by an airgun sniper as they helped a family friend fill a skip at his business. Alan Brindle, 39, and his 13-year-old son Ryan were hit by pellets in the chest and the arm respectively in the incident on Mosley Street, Blackburn. A third man, Christian Rivers, was shot in the hip as he walked along the road. The 20-year-old said he heard the two shots fired at Mr Brindle and his son before he was struck by an air gun pellet. Shot at random: Christian Rivers, left, Ryan Brindle, middle, and his father Alan, right, show off the injuries they suffered after each was hit by a single pellet fired by an unknown sniper on Mosley Street in Blackburn All the men suffered painful bruising but did not need hospital treatment. Mr Brindle, from Ewood, said he was helping his friend have a clear out at his business premises when the incident happened at around 12.30pm yesterday. He and his son were shot as they pu

Hillary Clinton is reportedly getting a $14million advance for her upcoming memoir as it is widely considered a launching pad for a presidential bid in 2016. The former Secretary of State has already written four books, but this advance is by far the biggest yet- nearly double her last book's advance of $8million. The $14million price tag comes in spite of the fact that the yet-untitled book will not make any mention of her presidential runs, both past and present. It will focus solely on her term as the country's top diplomat and not talk about any plans for 2016 or her failed 2008 bid. Not in the red: Hillary Clinton will be earning a $14million advance on her book to be published next year Specifically, The New York Post reports that some highlights will include her detailed accounts of the assassination of Osama bin Laden, the Arab Spring and terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya. 'Hillary Clinton's extraordinary