VISA ERROR

An artist with no hands was refused a visa to enter Britain because he could not provide fingerprints, in what Prime Minister David Cameron said was a "deeply regrettable episode".

Media reports in Kazakhstan said Karipbek Kuyukov was due to visit Britain in April to exhibit some of his paintings but was unable to get the required travel documents because of his disability.

Mr Kuyukov, who paints by holding a brush in his mouth and between his toes, has had his work displayed around the world. The Prime Minister was asked about the situation at a joint press conference with Kazakhstan's leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in his presidential palace.

24-HOUR WEDDING

A man proposed, planned a wedding and got married in the space of 24 hours after being told the love of his life was dying of cancer.

Mike Rowland proposed to his new wife, Lynda, at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, last Thursday after they were given the prognosis. The couple, both Pcs in the Metropolitan Police, married on a hospital ward the following day - in a ceremony inspired by the film Carry On Doctors.

Mrs Rowland, 49, formerly Francis, said: "I feel so happy. This is not something I ever expected and it means so much. When Mike told me how quickly it was going to happen, I just said 'Crikey'."

GLASTONBURY BABY

A festival-goer capped off her time at Glastonbury in a special way - by giving birth.

The new baby is believed to have arrived in the early hours of Sunday at the on-site Ivy Mead medical centre. The parents, reported as Heidi Wesson and Sean Crothers, were helped by medical staff while the Rolling Stones were making their Glastonbury debut.

It is believed the couple have settled on the name Ivy, after the medical centre where she was born.

EAGER BEAVER

The culprit behind a 20-hour internet and mobile phone failure in New Mexico has been identified as a beaver.

A fibre-optic company discovered that the animal had chewed through one of their lines.

More than 1,800 internet users and an unknown number of phones were affected by the blackout.

LEGALLY YOURS

China has made keeping in touch with elderly parents into a law.

It came into force as the country faces increasing difficulty in caring for its ageing population.

One of its writers, law professor Xiao Jinming, said a primary purpose was to raise awareness that the elderly need emotional support.

HAND OVER

A former American military doctor has returned the bones of an arm he amputated in 1966 to their Vietnamese owner.

Dr Sam Axelrad took them home as a reminder that when a badly injured North Vietnamese soldier was brought to him, he did the right thing and treated him.

The bones sat in a cupboard for decades, and when he finally pulled them out two years ago, he set about finding their owner, Nguyen Quang Hung.

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