Lawyers Demand Commons Vote On Brexit

A law firm has launched a legal challenge to ensure the process for Britain leaving the European Union does not begin without a parliamentary debate and a vote.

Lawyers at Mishcon de Reya claim the Government cannot trigger Article 50 without an act of Parliament.

The firm said in a statement that a "group of clients" is behind the legal action, but did not name them.

claimed it has been in talks with Government lawyers since 27 June, four days after the Leave campaign triumphed in the EU referendum.

In order for the UK to leave the EU, the Government must invoke Article 50, after which time Britain has two years to negotiate the terms of exiting the bloc.

But Mishcon de Reya argues "the outcome of the referendum itself is not legally binding and for the current or future prime minister to invoke Article 50 without the approval of parliament is unlawful".

Kasra Nouroozi, a partner at the firm, said: "We must ensure that the Government follows the correct process to have legal certainty and protect the UK Constitution and the sovereignty of parliament in these unprecedented circumstances.

"We must make sure this is done properly for the benefit of all UK citizens.

Article 50 simply cannot be invoked without a full debate and vote in Parliament.

"Everyone in Britain needs the Government to apply the correct constitutional process and allow Parliament to fulfil its democratic duty which is to take into account the results of the referendum along with other factors and make the ultimate decision."

EgyptAir Crash: Human Remains Recovered At Sea

A search vessel has recovered human remains at the underwater crash site of EgyptAir flight MS804.

Egypt's aircraft accident investigation committee said the remains will be taken to Alexandria port to be handed over to coroners and prosecution officials.

The remains were recovered by the John Lethbridge, a vessel belonging to the Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search and contracted by the Egyptian government.

The vessel is due to return to the crash site to make further checks for any other remains.

The Airbus A320 crashed into the Mediterranean during a flight from Paris to Cairo on 19 May.

All 66 people on board were killed. The cause remains unknown.

Investigators have begun analysing one of the plane's black box flight recorders and are extracting information from the other.

No cause for the crash has yet been ruled out, although aviation officials believe the cause lies in the plane's technical systems rather than sabotage.

Data downloaded from one of the black boxes has confirmed there was smoke in the aircraft.

Investigators have also revealed that soot was found on a piece of wreckage from the plane.

The Paris prosecutor's office opened a manslaughter investigation on Monday but said it was not looking into terrorism as a possible cause of the crash at this stage.

Father Tells Of Two Alligators In Disney Attack

The father of a toddler killed by an alligator at Disney World in Florida told rescue officials two alligators were involved in the attack, it has emerged.

Matt Graves tried to save his son Lane who was pulled into the water by an alligator on 16 June, according to an email sent by Reedy Creek Fire Department Captain Tom Wellons. 

The emails were released after a public records request from the Orlando Sentinel.

Mr Graves said that while he tried to reach his two-year-old son to free him from the jaws of the reptile, he was attacked by a second alligator.

Cpt Wellons said Mr Graves initially refused to leave the area as rescuers searched for Lane even though the father needed stitches and antibiotics from the second alligator's bite marks.

Cpt Wellons said he eventually persuaded Mr Graves to get medical treatment, promising he could return afterwards.

Lane's body was found near the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at the resort, six feet under water.

A post-mortem examination revealed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries.

Cpt Wellons described how much Mr Graves and his wife cared for Lane, and were shocked by his death. 

This incredibly sweet couple insisted on showing us pictures of their happy son. (The) mom kept referring to him as her 'happy boy,'" Cpt Wellons wrote in the emails.

In total, five alligators were killed during the 16-hour search for Lane. 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials have said they're "confident" they caught the alligator that killed Lane.

Following the attack, Walt Disney World closed all beaches in its resort area and installed signs warnings visitors of alligators and snakes at the beaches.

Prior to the attack, signs forbade swimming in the water but did not warn of alligators.

Fishing at Disney World has now been limited to excursions and hotel beaches are now being staffed by employees and closed at night.

Father Tells Of Two Alligators In Disney Attack

The father of a toddler killed by an alligator at Disney World in Florida told rescue officials two alligators were involved in the attack, it has emerged.

Matt Graves tried to save his son Lane who was pulled into the water by an alligator on 16 June, according to an email sent by Reedy Creek Fire Department Captain Tom Wellons. 

The emails were released after a public records request from the Orlando Sentinel.

Mr Graves said that while he tried to reach his two-year-old son to free him from the jaws of the reptile, he was attacked by a second alligator.

Cpt Wellons said Mr Graves initially refused to leave the area as rescuers searched for Lane even though the father needed stitches and antibiotics from the second alligator's bite marks.

Cpt Wellons said he eventually persuaded Mr Graves to get medical treatment, promising he could return afterwards.

Lane's body was found near the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at the resort, six feet under water.

A post-mortem examination revealed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries.

Cpt Wellons described how much Mr Graves and his wife cared for Lane, and were shocked by his death. 

This incredibly sweet couple insisted on showing us pictures of their happy son. (The) mom kept referring to him as her 'happy boy,'" Cpt Wellons wrote in the emails.

In total, five alligators were killed during the 16-hour search for Lane. 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials have said they're "confident" they caught the alligator that killed Lane.

Following the attack, Walt Disney World closed all beaches in its resort area and installed signs warnings visitors of alligators and snakes at the beaches.

Prior to the attack, signs forbade swimming in the water but did not warn of alligators.

Fishing at Disney World has now been limited to excursions and hotel beaches are now being staffed by employees and closed at night.

Father Tells Of Two Alligators In Disney Attack

The father of a toddler killed by an alligator at Disney World in Florida told rescue officials two alligators were involved in the attack, it has emerged.

Matt Graves tried to save his son Lane who was pulled into the water by an alligator on 16 June, according to an email sent by Reedy Creek Fire Department Captain Tom Wellons. 

The emails were released after a public records request from the Orlando Sentinel.

Mr Graves said that while he tried to reach his two-year-old son to free him from the jaws of the reptile, he was attacked by a second alligator.

Cpt Wellons said Mr Graves initially refused to leave the area as rescuers searched for Lane even though the father needed stitches and antibiotics from the second alligator's bite marks.

Cpt Wellons said he eventually persuaded Mr Graves to get medical treatment, promising he could return afterwards.

Lane's body was found near the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at the resort, six feet under water.

A post-mortem examination revealed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries.

Cpt Wellons described how much Mr Graves and his wife cared for Lane, and were shocked by his death. 

This incredibly sweet couple insisted on showing us pictures of their happy son. (The) mom kept referring to him as her 'happy boy,'" Cpt Wellons wrote in the emails.

In total, five alligators were killed during the 16-hour search for Lane. 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials have said they're "confident" they caught the alligator that killed Lane.

Following the attack, Walt Disney World closed all beaches in its resort area and installed signs warnings visitors of alligators and snakes at the beaches.

Prior to the attack, signs forbade swimming in the water but did not warn of alligators.

Fishing at Disney World has now been limited to excursions and hotel beaches are now being staffed by employees and closed at night.

Trump Has 'Lived' Feminism, Says His Daughter

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has "lived" gender equality, his daughter says.

Ivanka Trump said her father was a feminist who had "employed women at the highest levels" of his businesses.

The 34-year-old, who works on his campaign, told the Sunday Times her father was "a big reason I am the woman I am today".

She said: "He always told me and showed me that I could do anything I set my mind to if I married vision and passion with work ethic.

Ivanka said her father had surrounded her with 'strong female role models'

"He's also surrounded me with strong female role models who have done just that since I was a little girl.

"People talk about gender equality. He has lived it.

"He has employed women at the highest levels of the Trump Organisation for decades, so I think it's a great testament to how capable he thinks women are and has shown that his whole life."

Mr Trump, 70, has been polling badly with women in the run-up to November's general election.

He is 19% behind Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton among female voters, according to a Fox News poll at the end of June.

The Deer Hunter Director Michael Cimino Dies

Michael Cimino, director of the Oscar-winning 1978 film The Deer Hunter, has died aged 77.

Starring Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken, the movie tells the tale of how the Vietnam War scars the lives of a group of friends from small-town Pennsylvania.

A scene where the pair are forced to play Russian roulette has become one of cinema's most iconic.

The film was a critical triumph, winning five Oscars, including best director, best picture and best supporting actor for Walken.

Christopher Walken in a scene from The Deer Hunter

De Niro and Meryl Streep also got acting nominations.

The director's friend and former lawyer Eric Weissmann told The New York Times police had found his body at his home after friends were unable to reach him by phone.

Cimino's death was also confirmed by Los Angeles County acting coroner's lieutenant B Kim.

It is not yet known how he died.

Robert De Niro said he would always remember his work with Cimino

"Our work together is something I will always remember. He will be missed," said De Niro in a statement on Saturday.

Despite the success of The Deer Hunter, Cimino's follow-up tanked at the box office.

Heaven's Gate - a Western set in 1890s Wyoming - came in at more than three times over budget and was more than three-and-a-half hours long.

Variety magazine said the film was "synonymous with showbiz disaster", but Cimino stood by the film.

Cimino promoting his final film Sunchaser in 1996

He told Variety in 2010: "I never second-guess myself. You can't look back. I don't believe in defeat. Everybody has bumps, but as Count Basie said, 'It's not how you handle the hills, it's how you handle the valleys'."

Cimino became an eccentric figure in later life, living alone in Beverly Hills, frequently changing his appearance and claiming allergies to alcohol and sunshine.

The director worked sporadically after the Heaven's Gate flop and made only four other films: Year of the Dragon (1985), The Sicilian (1987), Desperate Hours (1990) and The Sunchaser (1996).