Charles and Camilla's : Royal couple take part in traditional Hindu fire ritual on banks of Ganges

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall tonight took part in a solemn ceremony of thanks with Hindus on the banks of the River Ganges.
In the holy Hindu city of Rishikesh, the prince led his wife by the hand to the banks of the sacred river where they joined Hindu worshippers conducting the Aarti ceremony.
It is performed by devotees every sunset who wave oil lamps burning ghee - a symbolic thank you to God for lighting the world.

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Giving thanks: Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall take part in a Hindu ritual at Parmarth Niketan Ashram on the banks of the River Ganges in Rishikesh

In the holy city of Rishikesh, the prince led his wife by the hand to the banks of the sacred river where they joined Hindu worshippers conducting the Aarti ceremony

 

Charles and Camilla attend prayer ceremony in India

The couple were welcomed by the Hindu guru Swami Chidanand and his leading disciple Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, both dressed in orange robes, who draped a garland of marigold blooms around their necks and strings of beads.
With the foothills of the Himalayans looming in the distance, Charles told gathered trainee priests and their leaders: 'It's a particular joy to join you here on the banks of the Ganges this evening because it is, above all else, my first visit to the Ganges and so from that point of view it is a very special occasion for both myself and my wife.

 

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'But we also wanted just to stress how deeply we felt for all those people who suffered so dreadfully as a result of the awful floods in June - our thoughts and prayers were so much with those families who have had to suffer the appalling catastrophe.'
The devastating floods are estimated to have killed 5,500 people with many deaths in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, the first stop on Charles and Camilla's tour, and forced tens of thousands to be evacuated during the summer.

Charles asks about the ritual that he has just performed: The water blessing ceremony involved pouring water taken from the Ganges back to its source

Isn't this lovely, dear? Devotees draped a garland of marigold blooms around the4 royal couple's necks and adorned them with strings of beads

The guru has been involved in a project to help eradicate pollution in the Ganges, gathering together scientists, engineers and activists to help clean the waters and riverbanks.
Charles went on to praise the Swami for his 'deep understanding of working in harmony with nature'.
The heir to the throne added: 'It seems to me the key to our future is to rediscover our connections with nature, for too long we seem to have ignored the services that nature provides us.'
The prince told how the birth of his grandson Prince George, in July, had given him a reason to redouble his efforts on working to help preserve the planet.
'And now that I've just recently become a grandfather, I think it means even more when you have a grandchild to think of their future and all the futures of other grandchildren around the world, we owe them I think something a great deal better for their futures as well.'

The royal couple was given small Aarti lamps and joined other participants in circling them clockwise in a ritual designed to give thanks for the light of the day

Solemn: During the Aarti ritual the royal couple held a four tiered brass lamp and waved it in circles to thank God for the light which he has provided throughout the day

Warm welcome: Surrounded by students from the local ashram, the Prince and Duchess took part in the traditional ceremony on the bank of the Ganges

Charles and Camilla arrived in India today at the start of a nine-day tour designed to strengthen ties between the Commonwealth nation and the UK.
The royal couple were met at Jolly Grand airport in Derhadun by the British High Commissioner to India, Sir James David Bevan, before heading to the banks of the River Ganges where they took off their shoes for the traditional Aarti sunset ceremony.
The Duchess of Cornwall wore a turquoise tunic and she and her husband each wore poppies for the Hindu ceremony in the holy city of Rishikesh, which marked the start of their third, and most extensive, tour of India as a married couple.
The couple travelled by boat across the fast flowing pale green waters of the Ganges to the Gita Bhavan landing stage near the Parmarth Ganga Ghat, where they were greeted by officials from the nearby Parmarth Niketan ashram.
They were then led by a number of Rishikumars - young boys in colourful yellow robes who live and study at the ashram - to where they could remove their shoes in private before the daily ritual, in which lamps are lit and devotional songs sung, began.

It is the couple's third official tour to India since they married in 2005, and will also be their most extensive, seeing them travel the length and breadth of the country

The prince takes the mic: He told how the birth of his grandson Prince George had given him a reason to redouble his efforts on working to help preserve the planet

The Prince and Duchess were then escorted by Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji Maharaj down to the river bank to observe the havan ceremony in which prayers were offered to a sacred fire.
An offering of herbs, seeds and petals was made to the fire by the royal couple for world peace and environmental preservation as ancient Verdic prayers were said.
A water blessing ceremony followed with water from the Ganges poured back to its source by Charles and Camilla who then observed two minutes silence for the victims of the flood.
During the Aarti ritual the royal couple held a four tiered brass lamp and waved it in circles as the duchess smiled then shared a joke with her husband.
The essence of the Aarti ceremony is to thank God for the light which he has provided throughout the day.  In thanking God for the light of the sun and the light of life, the idea is to offer back the light of thanks, the light of love and the light of devotion.
Their Royal Highnesses were then presented with shawls, a sacred rudraksh sapling, and a small container of holy water from the Ganges, before they sat on the steps and listened to traditional songs.

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a turquoise tunic and white flowing trousers while her husband wore a grey suit for the first day of their Indian tour

When the Beatles stayed at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, on the outskirts of Rishikesh, they wrote many of the songs for their famous white album.
They are likely to have seen a similar event to the Aarti ceremony according to the Swami's chief disciple.
'They almost definitely would have witnessed the fire ceremony, it's one of the most traditional ceremonies in the Hindu tradition,' she said.
Hinduism is the majority religion in India, with some six hundred million Hindus currently living in the country. There is also a Hindu majority within the British Indian population.
The Prince, who has a strong interest in religious understanding between faiths, makes regular visits to major faith communities both in the UK and overseas.
Charles and Camilla will travel the length and breadth of India to experience its diverse people and cultures, celebrate the achievements of leading individuals and highlight the work of some of the heir to the throne's own organisations.
The duchess will also be carrying out a number of solo engagements focusing on her interests of literacy, osteoporosis and equestrianism.

Sacred sapling: The British visitors appeared to enjoy their sunset trip to the banks of the River Ganges - their third official trip to India as a couple

Enjoying themselves: The Prince of Wales, who was covered in garlands at the ritual, has a particular interest in inter-faith understanding and religious tolerance

The Aarti ceremony is performed every day, regardless of weather conditions, and participants hold small lamps and sing religious songs

The prince turns 65 during his autumn tour and will celebrate the milestone the day before he hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) on behalf of the Queen in Sri Lanka.
The heir to the throne will be convening his first Chogm which faces a number of challenging issues, from those concerned about Sri Lanka's alleged human rights abuses to the recent withdrawal of the Gambia from the 'family of nations' who denounced it as a 'neo-colonial institution'.
In a speech made at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad in 2000, titled The Commonwealth In The New Millennium, the prince described the uniqueness and relevance of the Commonwealth.
He said: 'I have long had an instinctive sense of the value of the Commonwealth. It encourages and celebrates cultural diversity and makes no attempt to homogenise.'
The prince added: 'For me, the Commonwealth is something rather special and worth cherishing.
'It is as old as I am, and so has been present throughout my life, as something to which the Queen and other members of my family attach great value.'

How do you do? Charles chats with Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji Maharaj after the ritual

Prince William speaks of 'terrible' problems ex-offenders have trying to find housing after being freed

The Duke of Cambridge today voiced concerns about the 'terrible' problems ex-offenders have trying to find housing following their release from prison.
William visited staff and volunteers from the St Giles Trust in Camberwell, south east London, which works with former criminals to help them break the cycle of crime.
The trust works to train serving prisoners and ex-offenders as advice workers, using the benefit of their own first-hand experiences, and around 40 per cent of staff there have a criminal conviction.

The Duke of Cambridge chatted to former offender Junior Smart today as he toured the St Giles Trust headquarters in London - the charity helps criminals break out of a life of crime

The Prince, whose son Prince George was christened last month, asked how many private landlords were happy to accept former criminals as tenants

The Duke, who was patron of the charity's 50th anniversary year in 2012, received a tour of its head office before having lunch with business chiefs who support the trust.
He asked about the percentage of landlords who were willing to accept ex- prisoners as tenants after their release, suggesting it was 60 per cent.
The trust's Hughie Solomon, told him fewer than 30 per cent of private landlords accepted former criminals as tenants, to which William replied 'Which is terrible really.'
The Duke met prisoners out on licence and was shown the practical support offered by the trust in areas such as housing, improving skills, job opportunities and resettling into the community after prison.

 

Prince William shares a joke with London community workers

Prince William met staff at the Trust and also leaders of businesses who work with it to help former offenders break the cycle of crime

Junior Smart, who founded the trust's SOS team, which tackles gang and youth crime, praised William for his 'genuine interest' in their work with ex-offenders.
The 37-year-old from Southwark in London was jailed in 2001 for a drug-related offence but began work to tackle reoffending in 2006 following his release.
'I kept seeing the same young people again and again,' he said.  'It motivated me to do something.'
During the tour, William also revealed he had his 'fingers crossed' for Wales' rugby union team as he plans to attend their match with South Africa at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday

'I've never had plastic surgery of any kind': Jennifer Lopez, 44, responds to doctor who claimed she's had work done

Jennifer Lopez, 44, wants the world to know she's never gone under the knife.

After London-based plastic surgeon Dr. Ayham Al-Ayoubi tweeted that the American Idol judge's face shows 'many signs of plastic surgery,' the beauty took to her own Twitter account to clear up the claim.
'Sorry Sir, but I have never had plastic surgery of any kind,' the mother of two wrote.

No operations: Jennifer Lopez, seen here in the '90s (left) and on October 5 (right), told Dr. Al-Ayoubi on Monday that he was wrong when he speculated she had plastic surgery

Jenny fights back: After the Dance Again singer corrected the London-based doctor, he suggested maybe makeup, not knives, made the difference

Dr. Al-Ayoubi, a facial plastic and laser surgeon. tweeted a split-screen photo of the Dance Again singer and wrote, 'These before and after pics of @JLo show many signs of #plasticsurgery - naturally pretty but now looks amazing.'
In one, Lopez was wearing no makeup. In the other, the Bronx native's face was done up with cleverly applied bronzer, heavily made up eyes, and lip gloss.
He has since taken down the post after dozens of Jennifer's fans slammed the surgeon for his comments, even calling him a 'fake doctor.'

He blamed it on his assistant: There was a lot of backpedaling after his initial comments which have since been taken down

Better than ever: The 44-year-old beauty was a vision in white while walking into a taping of American Idol in Atlanta, Georgia on October 30

He also wrote an apology: 'Dear @JLo I wonder if you can accept my sincere apologies about the wrong tweet which was written by my assistant without my knowledge….' and also wrote, 'U are naturally a very beautiful woman and look great, sometimes clever makeup can enhance features slightly changing their appearance @JLo.'
This same doctor has also commented on the changing faces of Melanie Griffith, Sharon Osbourne and Heidi Montag.
The mother of twins Max and Emme, aged five, has many times insisted she's fine with the shape she has.
In Cosmopolitan she has said, 'You have to stand up and say, "There’s nothing wrong with me or my shape or who I am; you’re the one with the problem!" And when you can really believe that, all of a sudden other people start believing too.'
The chart-topper is a spokesperson for L'Oreal cosmetics and her makeup artist Mary Philips has said the company's foundation and powder have worked wonders for the Maid In Manhattan star.

Family time: The Maid In Manhattan star with her boyfriend Casper Smart and twins Emme and Max, aged five, in June

Jennifer - who is still dating Casper Smart even though there have been several reports they split - has moved on quickly from the surgery comments.
This week she has been busy promoting her two new Barbie dolls, one is Jennifer Lopez World Tour (a smiling, bedazzled Lopez about to sing) and the other is Jennifer Lopez Red Carpet (a gamlorous Lopez wearing a fancy gown).
'I wanted to live in Barbie's world. I wanted to be Barbie,' the Glow beauty has said.
On Monday she put up to Instagram a montage of her pretty brunette World Tour Barbie singing with four back up dancers on stage. Her caption read, 'Some unreleased footage from my world tour! ;)'
On Tuesday she shared a video that shows a her Red Carpet doll swimming. The caption read, 'Limitation only exist in our minds. But if we learn how to use #imagination, the possibilities of our world become limitless.' Her hashtages were: #Bronx2TheDreamhouse #JLoWorldTourB #JLoRedCarpetB.
The dolls are already on our Christmas lists

In her Element: Lucy Liu looks stunning, dress and sexy stilettos during an appearance on Jimmy Fallon

Last time she appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, she got a pie in the face.

But Lucy Liu clearly isn't one to hold a grudge as she sat down with the comedian on Tuesday night for a light-hearted chat.

She obviously didn't let the incident in January affect her outfit choice either, looking amazing in a blue, black and white patterned silk dress.
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All's forgiven: Lucy Liu put aside being hit in the face by a pie on her last appearance as she arrived for her interview on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon at New York's Rockefeller Center on Tuesday

The Elementary star was full of beans, smiling and waving to the audience as she made her way onto the stage to be greeted by the chat show host at the Rockefeller Center studio.

The 44-year-old looked stunning in her striking frock and sexy black stilettos, which featured a thin ankle strap and lace peep-toe exposing side panels.

Lucy wore her luscious long black locks down in a wavy style, while she kept her make-up fresh and natural.

In her element: The Elementary star was full of enthusiasm as she chatted away animatedly to the comedian, looking lovely with her long flowing black locks and picture-perfect natural make-up

Just last month the actress opened up to TV Guide about the simmering tension between her character, Dr Joan Watson, and Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock Holmes in the hit TV series.

'It's like going to a nude beach: it's all there, there's nothing to see, it's done. But when you go to an actual beach and people have bikinis on, there's something more sexual,' she says.

'So this is a much more interesting dynamic than actually having intercourse and a postcoital scene. This is much more energised. There are some things that have to be sacred, and right now, where we are is where we need to be.'

Lucy Liu talks to Jimmy Fallon about being a Twitter novice

Having a ball: The 44-year-old was positively radiant as she laughed and smiled throughout the interview

Ready for her close-up: The star showed off her toned legs in her pretty blue, white and black patterned silk dress, which she paired with showstopping black stilettos with lace detail and peep-toe design

The former Charlie's Angels star took the opportunity of being with funnyman Fallon to make her first official tweet - despite already notching up more than 17,000 followers - of the two cosying up for a selfie.

Also joining the star in the hot seat were Star Trek's Zachary Quinto and TV chef Giada De Laurentiis.
The three showed they're good sports as the took part in a fun game of Catch Phrase, much to the enjoyment of the audience.

Good sports: Lucy was joined for a game of Catch Phrase by Star Trek star Zachary Quinto and TV chef Giada De Laurentiis, who clearly got into the spirit of the fun activity

Lucy was kidnapped, gang raped - and then cruelly betrayed by the British justice system

Lucy Walsh woke up in a dimly lit, grubby room she didn't recognise. She quickly realised, to her horror, that she was naked, and that she was not alone.
A man was on top of her, pinning her to the floor, while another raped her. There were others there, too, talking in a foreign language, and laughing when she screamed in terror and pain. The 24-year-old was subjected to a horrific two-hour attack, as the men took it in turns to rape her.
It's a story that will strike horror into the hearts of parents and young women everywhere: a young local government officer whose only 'crime' was to find herself momentarily alone in a town centre in the early hours.

Driven away: As a result of her ordeals, Lucy has moved to Canada

But the repercussions for Lucy went far beyond the physical injuries she sustained that night. It would destroy her faith in her country and its legal system, which she'd always trusted to protect her, but which seemed to her to favour the rights of her attackers  above hers.
Her ordeal was described by a judge as 'among the worst to have come before this court in recent years' - yet in a sick irony, one of her attackers was granted British citizenship as he awaited trial.
It's probably not surprising to hear that Lucy has moved almost 4,000 miles away to Canada, and says: 'I don't know if I can ever come back to Britain.'

 

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That evening, in June 2011, she'd enjoyed a fun night with friends at a club in Preston, Lancashire. When she decided to call it a night, and walked alone the short distance to a taxi rank outside, no one was concerned. It was something Lucy, and thousands of young women, do without thinking every weekend.
'The town was well-lit and lots of people were milling around, so I felt safe,' she says.
Lucy's confidence was tragically misplaced, however, since two Kurdish men - Rezgar Nouri, 27, and Mohammed Ibrahim, 23 (a third - Araz Latif Najmaden, 21 - is still wanted in connection with the attack) had seen her in the nightclub and followed her out, and were caught by the club's CCTV cameras.

Attackers: Rezgar Nouri, 27, and Mohammed Ibrahim, 23, laughed as they repeatedly raped Lucy

What happened next is a blur. Though there is no evidence that Lucy was drugged, all she remembers is waking up, terrified, and being raped.
'I kept blacking out, falling in and out of consciousness. The men weren't speaking English, and they just laughed at me when I cried out.
'Another came in then and dragged me roughly by my wrists into another room. I thanked him, thinking in my confusion that he was rescuing me, but he just laughed and then raped me, too.
'It was surreal, and I was convinced I was going to die. I kept thinking of my parents, my brother and sister, and wondered how they would cope.'
Eventually one of the men threw Lucy into a bathroom where, bizarrely, she found her clothes neatly folded with her shoes placed on top of them.
'I was shaking terribly but I pulled them on, then the man called Nouri yanked my hair, pulled me down some stairs and threw me out onto the street.'
Desperate to get help and disorientated, Lucy realised she must have left her phone in the room where she had been raped.
'I can't explain why I went back upstairs to find my phone,' she admits. But, in her confusion and distress, she did. The door was unlocked and she crept in, spotting her phone in the bed sheets, but as she went to pick it up, Nouri grabbed her and raped her again, before shoving her back out on the street.

'I kept blacking out, falling in and out of consciousness. The men weren't speaking English, and they just laughed at me when I cried out.'

'When I tried to stand up I was crippled by such agonising pain that I collapsed,' Lucy recalls.
'I recognised where I was - round the corner from the train station - and started crawling towards it on my hands and knees. By then I was hysterical.'
At Preston Royal Hospital, doctors found she had suffered such severe internal injuries that it was four days before they could fully examine her.
'I couldn't stand up, and I was covered from head to foot in bruises,' she says.
It was at 7am that two police officers knocked on the door of the five-bedroom farmhouse in the Lancashire countryside where Lucy lived with her parents, Iain and Kay, to break the horrific news about their daughter.
Kay, 50, a company director, recalls: 'I remember standing there in my dressing gown as one of the officers explained that Lucy had been sexually assaulted.
'When he said she was in hospital, I felt sick. I knew something terribly serious had happened.'
Businessman Iain, also 50, stayed at home with the police, while Kay drove to the hospital.
'To see Lucy curled up in pain, and shuffling along like a 90-year-old woman, was heartbreaking,' Kay recalls.

Wanted: Araz Latif Najmaden, 22, is wanted in connection with the attack

'It was all the more shocking because I'd never had any worries about Lucy. She's a sensible girl.'
Lucy adds: 'I wept when Mum arrived. I felt so humiliated and ashamed of myself, as though I'd let my parents down.
'The doctor handed me some tablets - the morning-after pill, and medication to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.'
When CCTV footage led to the arrest of Nouri and Ibrahim, Lucy and her family had every right to expect that justice would be done.
To begin with, it felt as if it had. At first, Nouri claimed never to have seen Lucy, and Ibrahim said she had consented to sex. But faced with overwhelming CCTV and forensic evidence, both men pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court in November 2011 to two counts of rape, and were given indeterminate sentences. Judge Anthony Russell said: 'This was a sustained attack and was particularly degrading, because throughout it the people perpetrating the offences were laughing.'
The effect on Lucy was devastating. She says: 'It was a huge relief that I didn't have to give evidence in court. After the rape, I'd gone to pieces. For a long time I blamed myself.
'While I had been drinking, I was more than capable of getting a taxi and certainly didn't pass out through alcohol.

Separation: 'I long to have Lucy back here where she belongs,' says Lucy's mum Kay, centre, with Lucy and Lucy's father Iain

'I'd also been wearing very sensible clothes that night - black trousers and a black top - with no make-up and my glasses on, but I kept thinking it must have been something I'd done.
'I worked as a housing liaison officer and my job involved talking to people in their homes. Afterwards, I couldn't face visiting strangers, so I had to leave.'
Lucy's private life suffered too. Her 18-month relationship with her boyfriend collapsed because she was struggling to cope, and she found herself crying inconsolably for hours on end.
But if Lucy gained any solace from not having to relive her ordeal in court, her feelings were quickly replaced by anger and frustration.
While the police promised not to rest until they'd arrested the third alleged assailant - identified by them as illegal immigrant Araz Latif Najmaden, 21 - he has never been traced.
Kay says: 'The way it seems to us is that the police are so worried about upsetting the local immigrant community that they have done little to track this man down and allowed him to walk free.'
Then in June 2012 Ibrahim and Nouri appealed against their indeterminate sentences, which were changed to 12 years - but they could be freed in half that.
Kay says she is outraged by the appeal judges' decision.
'Those men have never shown a shred of remorse or said sorry for what they did to Lucy. What about her rights?'

Suffering: Lucy's 18-month relationship with her boyfriend collapsed because she was struggling to cope

Even more shocking was when they learned that while 23-year-old illegal immigrant Mohammed Ibrahim was in prison awaiting trial for the rape, he had been granted British citizenship - a process that had been started before his arrest.
Ibrahim has since had his citizenship revoked. The family claim this only happened after they put pressure on the authorities - however the Home Office claims that it occurred automatically because he was found guilty.
By then, Lucy was taking antidepressants and sleeping tablets to help her cope, refusing to sleep with a window open even on the hottest of nights because of her fears about security.
She was so panic-stricken that a man suspected of being one of her attackers was still at large that, in January, she decided to leave Britain to try to start a new life overseas.
She moved to live in Ontario, Canada, where she now works as a nanny.
Lucy says: 'I truly believe that had the third man been white, the police would have made more effort to find him.
'To me, it feels as if they didn't want to make waves and upset the immigrant community.'
She adds: 'My whole family has been affected, I've been forced to leave my home country, and I don't know if I can ever have a relationship with a man again.'
Lancashire Police claim they have made 'extensive inquiries' in their efforts to locate Najmaden, who they confirm is wanted in connection with the attack and is also wanted by UK Border Agency.
The Home Office has said that when they have served their sentences, Nouri and Ibrahim will be deported.
But the Walsh family remains sceptical. Kay says: 'Having seen how the immigration system works, we have lost all faith in British justice. Who's to say these men won't claim asylum, saying their lives will be in danger if they go back to their own country, and end up staying here after all?'
Although Kay is in daily contact with Lucy, she believes her daughter won't come home to Britain until she can be assured that all the men who attacked her have left the country.
'I long to have Lucy back here where she belongs,' she says

Touching moment Pope Francis kiss and hold a disfigured man

Pope Francis concluded Wednesday's general audience in St Peter's Square in Rome by kissing a man covered in growths and joining him in prayer.
Photos of the pontiff embracing the severely disfigured man have gone viral online, with commenters praising the pope for his compassion and kindness.
In Italian press, the pope has drawn comparisons to his illustrious namesake, St Francis of Assisi - a revered 13th century holy figure, who according to legend kissed a leper he had encountered on a road after receiving a message from God.

Act of kindness: Pope Francis (left) comforts a man covered in boils in Saint Peter's Square at the end of his General Audience in Vatican City

Touching moment: The pontiff kissed the worshiper, who suffers from a rare disease called neurofibromatosis, which is genetic and not contagious 

Images of Pope Francis comforting the ailing worshiper were taken at the end of the general audience Wednesday, when a man covered in neuronal tumors approached the leader of the Catholic Church asking for a blessing. 

Famous namesake: The pope has drawn comparisons to St Francis of Assisi - a revered 13th century holy figure, who according to legend kissed a leper

The man reportedly suffers from a rare and painful disease called neurofibromatosis, which causes growths, impaired vision and in some cases cancer, according to the Catholic News Agency. 

 

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Patients suffering from the ailment, which is genetic and not contagious - are often shunned by society because of their appearance.
Pope Francis has been widely praised for his common touch and accessibility. 
Since being elected to the Holy See earlier this year, the pontiff has made headlines around the world by washing the feet of juvenile delinquents, personally calling distraught worshipers on the phone and inviting homeless people to dine at St Peter's Square.
On Wednesday, the leader of the world’s 1.3billion Catholics was greeting pilgrims following his weekly public audience when he took a break to comfort the disfigured believer.
Pope Francis then kissed the man on the face and blessed him. He was photographed with his eyes tightly shut in prayer. 

Show stealer: Last month, the pontiff allowed a young boy to remain on stage with him as he delivered a speech to 150,000 worshipers, occasionally patting the boy's head

Pontiff's penitence: Pope Francis washes the foot of a prisoner at Casal del Marmo youth prison in Rome March 28, 2013

Earlier in today’s audience, the pope asked the people assembled in the square to pray for a sick little girl he had just met.
Last week, the pontiff allowed a little boy to remain on stage with him and cling to his leg during a speech in front of a crowd of 150,000.
Earlier this year, Francis tweeted to his 3.2million followers: ’The Pope must serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable.’
On Tue

What a mug! Cocky X Factor hopeful Sam Callahan upsets TV bosses by selling tacky merchandise online

X Factor hopeful Sam Callahan has broken show's strict rules by selling his own merchandise.

The 19-year-old wannabe has set up his own online shop, which sells mugs, keyrings, T-shirts, and even baseball jackets with his name or face emblazoned across it, but the sneaky advertising campaign has angered ITV bosses.

A spokesperson for the show told The Sun newspaper: 'Whilst in the competition, contestants are restricted from entering into any personal commercial arrangements without prior consent.'

Cocky: Sam Callahan has upset X Factor bosses with his sense of entitlement

One signed photograph, which shows Sam topless with a Union Jack flag draped over his shoulders, costs £12, while a bright pink T-shirt, which reads 'Future Mrs Callahan', is £20.

The Essex lad - who refers to his followers as 'Callafans' - has been busy promoting his new 'made to order' goods, which range from £4 to £35, on Twitter.

One tweet read: 'You can now buy the sparkly #TeamCallahan T-shirts that my Mum and sister wear every wkend to The X Factor live shows!'

While another said: 'If you want one of those T-shirts or some of my other merch. Check out my online shop at samcallahan.co.uk. (sic).'

Meanwhile, fellow contestant Nicholas McDonald, 16, was reportedly barred from using photographs of himself from the show makeover on garments, despite wanting to sell them to raise money for a hospital.

Merchandising: Sam, seen backstage at The X Factor, has been selling mugs with his image on

Sam was spotted by ex-Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, when he was fifteen and joined a 5-piece band that she was developing.
In June 2012, Sam made the decision to leave the band and go it alone to pursue his ambition to produce and perform his own music.
Poor Geri now may need a favour from him - her last single Half Of Me, her first release for eight years, bombed in Australia - selling just 393 copies.
Ironically, she is a judge on Australia's Got Talent.

Sam Callahan pictured with fellow contestant Tamera: 'If all else fails we're gonna work at Nando's'

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Show-off: Sam

Hot off The Wire... Idris is taken! Elba makes romance with make-up artist Naiyana Garth official

British actor and hunk Idris Elba is now officially dating hair and make-up artist Naiyana Garth.
The 41-year-old actor was pictured getting cosy with Naiyana at this week's Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year awards at Claridge's Hotel in London.
And despite the pair only just going public, a source close to the star said the couple have actually been together for several months.
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Grinners are winners! Idris Elba and his lady love Naiyana Garth attending the Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year awards at Claridge's Hotel in London last week

The source told The Sun: 'They've been together for a few months but it's really ramped up recently. They get on brilliantly and she's a real hit with his family and friends.
'Idris is known as a ladies' man but he's really not at all. He'd rather have banter at the bar than spend all night grafting on women. Although he doesn't have to try anyway, women flock to him.'

 

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Strangely, as soon as news broke of their romance Naiyana's Twitter feed disappeared from the site while her personal web page, Naiyanamakeuphair.com, is now listed as being 'under construction'.
It's still listed on Google however, describing Naiyana as 'a London-based professional hair and make-up artist with extensive experience in Fashion, Film, special effects/prosthetics, Body Painting and Bridal.'

The man's got style! Idris wore an eye-catching knee-length turquoise coat to the awards ceremony

With Idris now getting serious with Naiyana after dating for a few months, this could turn out to be the best time of his life.
After starring in two of the hottest TV series on TV, The Wire and Luther, he is now being tipped for an Oscar for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the new biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.
Speaking previously about getting into character for the movie, Elba told the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye's he spent a night on Robben Island, locked in a cell next to the one where Mandela was jailed for 18 years. He said: 'I wanted the audience to know what it was like once Mandela and his colleagues were jailed and the crowds dissipated.'

Tipped for an Oscar: Idris Elba, Tony Kgoroge and Riaad Moosa in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

The actor travelled around South Africa researching the role and wrote to the authorities on Robben Island (now a heritage site) to ask if he could stay in the jail. Initially, they turned him down, but later they recanted.
'Look, we turn the key and you’ll be here till we let you out again at eight in the morning,’ a security man told him.
Taking it seriously, Elba went to extreme lengths to get into character for the role.
‘It was a s***hole,’ Elba said. ‘I had a thin blanket for a mattress and that’s all there was between me and the concrete floor. They gave me a bowl. I had no water, nothing to drink at all. I was wearing my sweats and what not. I had two iPads to document myself and a cell phone.