In a recent survey, one in five Americans have said they struggled to afford food in August, a percentage that marks a negative increase since June and is close to the peak measured at the height of the economic crisis in 2008, the survey explains.

Gallup Institute reported Thursday that 17.7% percent of people said they struggled to afford food in June.

That number increased to about 20% percent in August, close to the peak of 20.4% percent measured in November 2008.

“Americans’ ability to consistently afford food has not yet recovered to the prerecession levels seen in January through April 2008, when less than 17 percent in the US reported that they had problems affording food in the past year,” Gallup said.

Gallup noted stagnant wages are one possible reason for Americans’ struggles.

It also pointed to political wrangling over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.

Congressional Republicans want deep cuts to the program, but Democrats are resisting that call.

 The split upended the House’s ability to pass a farm bill, typically a bipartisan exercise that marries rural farm subsidies with nutrition programs that bring in urban support — earlier this year.

House Republican leadership divorced the nutrition programs from the bill to pass a version of the farm bill that authorizes programs for farmers.

They pledged to take up the SNAP portion later. “Regardless, food stamp benefits are set to be reduced in November after a provision of the 2009 fiscal stimulus program expires,” Gallup said.

“Therefore, it is possible that even more Americans may struggle to afford food in the immediate future.”

Depressed wages are likely negatively affecting the economic recovery by reducing consumer spending, but another serious and costly implication may be that fewer Americans are able to consistently afford food and meet other basic needs.

 Increasing wages alone, however, is not enough to significantly increase the percentage of Americans who have the ability to afford food.

The federal government's annual "Food Security" report, released last week, found that 14.5% percent of American households, or 17.6 million families, "had difficulty at some time" in getting enough food to eat during 2012.

That means if they ran out of food, didn't have money to buy enough it, they skipped meals or lost weight for lack of food

David Cameron has vowed to ‘export’ gay marriage around the world including Nigeria and Ghana as he held a party to celebrate the passage of legislation in Britain.

 David Cameron  told a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender reception in Downing Street of his personal pride at legalising gay marriage worldwide.

 Addressing an audience which included BBC presenter Clare Balding and her partner, the former newsreader Miss.Arnold Alice.

 Mr Cameron boasted that Britain was now ‘the best place to be gay, lesbian or transgender anywhere in Europe’.

 But he risked controversy by suggesting that his ministers should now fan out across the globe to spread gay marriage around the world. ‘I’m personally proud of this,’ he said.

 ‘I think it’s a really good step. I’ve told the Bill team I’m now going to reassign them because, of course, all over the world people would have been watching this and we’ve set something of an example of how to pass good legislation in good time.

 ‘Many countries are going to want to copy this

. I talk about how we’ve got to export more, so I’m going to export the Bill team.

 ‘I think they can take it around the world.’ Gay marriage was passed by Parliament despite fierce opposition from some Tory MPs and grassroots members, who were angered by the David Cameron prioritising gay marriage issue over economic problems.

 But Mr Cameron signalled that he wants to go further in pressing gay rights.

 He told the gathering: ‘There’s still a lot more work to be done here.

 ‘There’s work to be done talking to our Commonwealth partners about decriminalising homosexuality in various countries.

 ‘There’s a lot of work to be done on homophobic bullying in our schools, which is still a scourge in our country.

 There’s a lot of work to be done in terms of hate crimes and how we stop and stamp that out in our society.’

 The reception was also attended by gay rights campaigners and senior Tories including International Development Minister Alan Duncan and former prisons minister Crispin Blunt.

 Miss Balding, who is set to marry Miss Arnold, said: ‘It was great – a very good speech by Mr Cameron.

 ‘He said that he had delivered on a promise and he was very proud to have done so.’

 During the event Mr Cameron, together with his team of ministers behind the legislation, signed a copy of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act of 2013.

 He said: ‘I think of young children growing up at school, who might be uncertain about their sexuality, knowing that now, in the highest place in the land – in Parliament – we’ve passed this law that says that marriage is for you, whether you’re gay or whether you’re straight.

 And that is so important to young people growing up.’ But some of his MP's remain angry over this issue.

 Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said the issue was ‘deeply divisive’ for the party.

 He accused the prime  minister of ‘seeking to extol a fundamental change in society for which he has no mandate to do’ and which had been rejected by his MPs.

 Pop star Rihanna showed her fans a glimpse of her soft side after she broke into tears during a recent performance in lille, France.

 The event was held at the Grand Stade Lille Metropole.

 The 25-year-old started by thanking them for their continued support. ‘Lille!’ I love my French fans, I love you all so much,’ she shouted out. ‘I don’t know what the f*** I’m crying about,’ the Bajan babe went on to tell the crowd, wiping a tear form her eye that could be seen from a big screen.

 ‘I can’t believe this s***,’ she laughed after, adding: ‘Y’all make me so happy.

 To stand here and feel the love in this room. The Diamonds tour is nearly coming to an end and I hate this part, i hate saying goodbye.’

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The police said Ndubisi was arrested following a complaint by the parents of the victim that the accused on 14 March, 2013 at the church defiled their 10-month old daughter by fingering her private part. This resulting in the little girl bleeding from her private part.

During interrogation, Mr Ndubisi was said to have confessed to the crime.

After investigation by a police team led by Corporal Raymond Udoeka at the division, the accused was charged to court for the offence which is punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

But while in court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and magistrate Mrs. A.F. Adeeyo admitted him on bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum who must have proof of tax payment to the Lagos State government.

The defendant has been remanded at Ikoyi Prison pending when he would fulfill the bail condition, which the case was adjourned to 5th April, 2013.