It was the 12 months that the Queen celebrated 60 years on the throne, the UK basked in the reflected glory of its Olympic and Paralympic athletes and the US re-elected Barack Obama as president. But 2012 additionally saw other issues seize the eye of BBC News webpage readers. From a toddler's encounter with a hungry lion to amateur makes an attempt to restore a fresco of Christ, listed below are some of probably the most-shared stories of the past 12 months. The year began with a three-year-old lady's victory over supermarket giant Sainsbury's. After her missive went viral, Sainsbury's duly renamed its loaves and conceded its original decision might have been "a bit silly". January was also the month when former Blockbusters host Bob Holness died at the age of 83, following a series of strokes. In a broadcasting career spanning six a long time, we realized, he had become the second actor to play James Bond when he starred in a 1956 adaptation of Moonraker. And footage emerged of a younger Australian lady plunging into the crocodile-infested Zambezi River, when her bungee rope snapped in two. The dying of singer Whitney Houston at a Los Angeles hotel shocked stars who had gathered there for a get together forward of the Grammy Awards. One of the vital celebrated feminine singers of all time, the latter part of her career had been overshadowed by substance abuse. A coroner later ruled that Ms Houston drowned after cocaine use. Suggestions that the need for an want for an eight-hour sleep may very well be a fable captured the attention of readers. Although many individuals fear about lying awake in the middle of the night, it could in truth be good to have two four-hour naps punctuated by wakefulness - and time to replicate on our goals. Research suggesting chocolate 'might keep folks slim' was widely thought of as deserving of additional investigation - and sharing. American academics said that people who eat chocolate usually tend to be thinner, possibly as a result of it incorporates substances that favour weight reduction. Somewhat frustratingly, nonetheless, consultants suggested warning "in the absence of conclusive evidence". In Kuwait, the Kazakh shooting workforce have been stunned when a comedy nationwide anthem from the film Borat was played at a medal ceremony. Organisers had mistakenly downloaded the parody from the web and, as Kazakhstan's coach pointed out, had also bought the Serbian anthem mistaken. Within the US it was Batman who was causing bother, when police pulled over a Lamborghini driven by a man dressed because the Caped Crusader. The chance to investigate the place you are on the worldwide pay scale additionally generated great curiosity. Based on figures for 72 countries, omitting some of the poorest, readers who entered their month-to-month salary were capable of check whether they earned extra or lower than the world common. Plans to allow the federal government to monitor the calls, emails, texts and web site visits of everyone within the UK emerged firstly of April. The proposals, which might require internet corporations to present GCHQ access to communications in actual time, had been described by Tory MP David Davis as "an unnecessary extension of the ability of the state to snoop". The draft Communications Data Bill stays controversial. Footage from an airport in Bilbao, Spain, confirmed planes struggling to remain stable as extremely excessive winds blew them across the runway. Some pilots had second thoughts and decided not to land. The reply was almost actually "no" - the monarch is probably the very best-travelled in history and, by May, had been to 116 nations excluding the UK. Might also saw the epic journey of a stray canine who accomplished a thousand-mile (1,700km) journey throughout China. Nicknamed Xiaosa, the dog joined cyclists on a 24-day trip from Sichuan province to Tibet after certainly one of them gave him food. In the US, a hungry lioness called Kya was filmed desperately attempting to reach a toddler on the opposite aspect of safety glass. The youngster, Jack, remained totally unfazed. An investigation into why British individuals are, on average, almost three stone (19kg) heavier than they were 50 years in the past led to a more in-depth have a look at one of the nation's largest fried breakfasts. Called the Challenge Kidz Breakfast because, at 9lb (4kg), it weighs the same as a small child, the dish options eight eggs, 12 rashers of bacon, 12 sausages, potatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, black pudding, beans and 12 slices of bread. Continuing with weighty points, July provided the possibility to see the place you are on the worldwide fat scale. The outcomes included a calculation of how a lot heavier (or lighter) the world's population could be if everyone weighed the same as you. Because the Olympics approached, torrential rain gave strategy to clear skies and armchair athletes limbered up for a festival of sport. Many selected to investigate their Olympic athlete physique match, though no information have been saved as to the quantity who discovered they have been more shot putter than lengthy-distance runner. The tale of an 18-month tour of Africa that turned right into a 23-yr, 500,000-mile drive noticed a former German airline govt recount his extraordinary journey around the globe. The outstanding work of an elderly parishioner who took it upon herself to restore a damaged however prized Jesus Christ fresco alarmed cultural officials near Zaragoza, Spain. Cecilia Gimenez, who's in her 80s, was reportedly upset at the way in which the fresco had deteriorated and took it on herself to "restore" it. She has since demanded royalties after the botched picture became successful with vacationers. He was remembered by US President Barack Obama as "among the best of American heroes - not simply of his time, but of all time". And in a subject in Essex, a lion hunt involving armed police and helicopters began after a sighting near a caravan park. No lion was discovered. The demise of wildlife presenter Terry Nutkins at the age of sixty six prompted tributes for his work on wildlife programmes together with Animal Magic and The Really Wild Show. Presenter Ben Fogle described Nutkins, a father of eight, as one of his "childhood inspirations", whereas comedian Ricky Gervais mentioned he was a "totally good chap". Meanwhile, the Britishisation of American English stirred debate concerning the spread within the US of terms like "spot on", "ginger", "will do" and "chattering classes". Jesse Sheidlower, American editor at massive of the Oxford English Dictionary. Because the US prepared to vote and pollsters struggled to separate Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, many of you took the prospect to eradicate uncertainty and predict the president. While some of the experts the BBC consulted prompt a slender win for Obama, others opted for Romney, or even a lifeless heat. In the UK there was a victory of sorts for an elderly couple who, police said, had unwittingly grown "the biggest cannabis plant" they'd ever seen. The couple had fastidiously tended the plant since shopping for it at a car boot sale. Police stated it would be destroyed. The story of the world's poorest president provided a sharp contrast to the scenes in Washington. Uruguayan leader Jose Mujica lives on a ramshackle farm owned by his wife and provides away 90% of his $12,000 (£7,500) month-to-month salary. His water comes from a nicely. A giant schnauzer and his canine buddies learning to drive cars in New Zealand grabbed the attention of many readers in December. The driving faculty was set up by a charity eager to show how clever its costs are. After months of practising gear modifications, controlling the brakes and using the steering wheel, graduates are rewarded with a spin round a field. It's hoped that lots of them can even discover new homes.