More than 600 Russian anglers stranded on an ice floe in far east have been rescued.
The operation to airlift them off the ice involved 48 people, two helicopters and 11 ships, the emergencies ministry said.
The 675 fishing enthusiasts were carried out to sea when the floe, off the island of Sakhalin, broke free.
Fishing through bore-holes on ice-bound waters is a popular winter pastime in Russia.
More than 600 Russian anglers stranded on an ice floe in far east have been rescued
None of the rescued anglers airlifted off the ice floe needed medical assistance, the ministry said in a statement.
The ice floe had drifted 500 m away from the coast before running aground again.
One of the rescued anglers, Vladimir Vasilenko, said he had ventured on to the ice floe knowing that windy conditions might pose a risk.
“The wind was blowing from the shore, and it was clear that something might happen, but people were still going out, so we did too,” he said.
“It was the excitement, of course. We also heard on the radio that it would be the last chance for fishing on the ice. And so we rushed out to go fishing.”
Halle Berry was the first star to fall victim of the awful green goo at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles and funny man and host Will Smith set up the practical joke.
Halle Berry, 45, sat down in the audience at the start of the show after apparently arriving late to the ceremony due to the notorious traffic in the area.
She ended up being the butt of the joke as she was covered in gunge by a young attendee sitting behind her.
Halle Berry wasn’t the only striking star to be punished by the television network’s annual gag.
Supermodel Heidi Klum found herself being spurted by the slippery liquid as she presented at the 25th annual event with Chris Colfer.
After tricking Chris Colfer into taking to the microphone where the offending orange blip was situated, the gunk which he got covered in, hit her accidentally and ruined her beige frock.
In a section of the show where Taylor Lautner competed against host Will Smith in a push-up contest, the comedian arranged that the Twilight Saga hunk be sprayed the hardest and he could barely contain himself to stand up and run away as a result.
The awards were broadcast from the Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles where kids’ top choices in television, movies, music and sports were revealed through a flying blimp, silver robot and sword swallower.
Will Smith made a stunning aerial entrance by parachuting down from the official KCA blimp, a 246-foot orange airship situated above the arena.
He then kicked off the silver anniversary celebration with a performance of Can U Handle This.
Halle Berry was the first star to fall victim of the awful green goo at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles
Throughout the ceremony, Will Smith’s mission was to find the culprit known as Creepy Voice, who wanted to ruin the show.
Although it turned out to be The Voice mentor Cee Lo, the presenter got so worked up about the game that he jokingly kicked his children Willow and Jaden out of the venue, much to their older brother Trey and mother Jada’s disappointment.
However he hadn’t really turfed his famous offspring from the show, instead they were preparing backstage to present their friend Justin Bieber with a gong.
Will Smith trapped Justin Bieber into the biggest slime fest of the event and the stage ended up covered by the luminous stuff as did the pair.
While much of the audience were in the firing line too, Victoria Beckham sat in the third row with son Cruz on her knee and Brooklyn and Romeo next to X Factor USA judge L.A Reid.
Victoria Beckham was wearing a super short black dress which she kept trying to adjust for the family show.
Highlights of the show included a spectacular performance by Katy Perry who sang her new single Part of Me while prancing around with numerous dancers.
After collecting her gong for Favourite Voice in an Animated Movie, Katy Perry told the audience: “The only reason why I’m still here today – and remember this – is because I’ve never grown up!”
Additionally Taylor Swift was recognized for her charitable personality and the First Lady of The United States, Michelle Obama, praised her for helping causes such as more books in schools and libraries and trying to tackle the bullying issue in her songs.
The 22-year-old was blown away by the unexpected Big Help award and told Michelle Obama: “Thank you so much I have always wanted to meet you. I am freaking out.”
2012 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Winners List
Favourite TV Show: Victorious
Favourite Reality Show: Wipeout
Favorite TV Actor: Jake Short (A.N.T. Farm)
Favourite TV Actress: Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place)
Funniest TV Sidekick: Jennette McCurdy (iCarly)
Favourite Cartoon: SpongeBob SquarePants
Favorite Male Athlete: Tim Tebow
Favorite Female Athlete: Danica Patrick
Favorite Movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Favorite Movie Actor: Adam Sandler (Jack & Jill)
Favorite Movie Actress: Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1)
Favorite Animated Movie: Puss in Boots
Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie: Katy Perry (The Smurfs)
Sophia Loren is defying her age by refusing to tone down her outfits or cover up her curves.
Sophia Loren, 77, showed off her impressive figure in Russia last night as she stepped out in a floorlength gown with a daring low cut.
The iconic actress was joined by her eldest son Carlo Ponti Jr. as she wowed in the black gown with intricate detailing on the bust and sleeves.
Most women her age would be trying to cover up their skin and opt for dowdy items.
But Sophia Loren clearly isn’t most women as she happily posed with her cleavage on full show as she cuddled up to Carlo.
Sophia Loren looked tanned and happy as she held her son’s hand, who was dressed in a dapper suit with white shirt and bow tie.
Sophia Loren is defying her age by refusing to tone down her outfits or cover up her curves
And she wasn’t the only one who upped their glamour stakes as they showed up to the Charitable Foundation Federation gala auction in Moscow.
Carmen Electra was also on hand as she walked on to the red carpet in a pretty yellow frock emblazoned in diamante.
And she looked more comfortable back to doing what she does best following her unsuccessful bid to impress Britain’s Got Talent viewers with her monotone appearance.
Carmen Electra ensured she looked her best for the event with her hair half up and wavy.
Actress Andie MacDowell also attended, as she also defied her age of 53 with her black lace frock with a plunging neckline.
Former American Idol judge Paula Abdul was also a star guest and went for a floorlength white dress with a black panel around her waist.
Paula, who was recently dropped as The X Factor USA judge, accessorized with a small black clutch bag with her hair worn down.
But it was a fashion miss for singer Craig David, who turned up to the glamorous bash in some odd head wear.
The star looked dapper in a beige suit with a white shirt and thin black tie.
But he failed as he completed the look with a tight black hat that looked like a swimming cap which covered up his hair.
Brigitte Nielsen was also on hand as she wore a strapless pink dress to the event.
A breakthrough vaccine that dramatically reduces fat in the arteries has been developed for the prevention of heart attacks.
The new vaccine, which can be administered by injection or nasal spray, could be available within five years.
Current treatment involves medication that reduces cholesterol and blood pressure.
But the study by Lund University in Sweden is the first which has targeted the underlying cause of heart disease.
Prof. Peter Weissberg, the British Heart Foundation medical director, said the vaccine was “very promising”.
Fatty deposits can place great strain on the heart by narrowing the arteries and forcing it to pump far harder.
A breakthrough vaccine that dramatically reduces fat in the arteries has been developed for the prevention of heart attacks
This treatment works by stimulating the body’s immune system to produce antibodies which tackle this build-up.
In tests on mice, researchers found that it could reduce plaque by 60 to 70%, it was reported in the Daily Telegraph.
The resulting injection is waiting regulatory clearance to start clinical trials.
A second vaccine has been created as a nasal spray. A trial on 144 heart disease sufferers is under way in the U.S. and Canada.
But Prof. Jan Nilsson, professor of experimental cardiovascular research at Lund University, said it was unlikely that the drug would be administered like traditional vaccines in childhood.
“The antibody therapy in particularly is likely to be expensive, so you could probably only afford to give it to high-risk populations rather than everyone,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
Different ways of administering the vaccine are being developed and could be licensed within five years, the Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology conference at Imperial College London were told.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has won Burma by-election for parliament after a landmark vote which saw 45 seats contested.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) said she had easily won the vote in Kawhmu, though official counts have not yet finished.
The NLD was competing in its first elections since 1990.
The vote is a key test of promised political reforms, though the military-backed ruling party remains dominant.
During the campaign, foreign journalists and international observers were given the widest access for years.
The European Union hinted that it could ease some sanctions if the vote went smoothly.
“We hope the whole day can be run in a peaceful way and we’ll make an evaluation later on the basis of all the polling sessions that we will be seeing,” EU observer Ivo Belet said.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has won Burma by-election for parliament
The NLD alleged some voting irregularities in the capital, Naypyidaw.
A NLD spokesman told AFP news agency he had sent a letter of complaint to the election commission over allegations ballot forms had been tampered with.
Nyan Win said there had been complaints that wax had been put over the check box for the party, which could later be rubbed off to cancel the vote.
“This is happening around the country. The election commission is responsible for what is occurring,” he said.
Burma’s current government is still dominated by military and ex-military figures from the old regime that ruled the country for decades and was accused of widespread rights abuses.
But since 2010, when a transition to a new generation of leaders began, the government has impressed observers with the pace of change.
Most political prisoners have been freed, media restrictions have been relaxed and, crucially, Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD have been persuaded to rejoin the political process.
They have taken no part in Burma’s political process since 1990, when the NLD won a landslide victory in a general election but the military refused to accept the result.
Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of the following 20 years under house arrest and refused to take part in the 2010 election, which ushered in the current reforms.
The NLD is one of 17 opposition parties taking part in Sunday’s election. Only a fraction of seats are up for grabs and the military-backed party will still dominate.
Aung San Suu Kyi, 66, was standing for a lower house seat in the Kawhmu Township constituency, outside Rangoon.
On Sunday, she visited polling stations in Kawhmu before heading back to Rangoon.
Earlier, Aung San Suu Kyi described this year’s election campaign as not ”genuinely free and fair” and warned that reforms were “not irreversible”.
But she said she and the NLD did not regret taking part.
“Still we are determined to go forward because this is what our people want,” she said.
A small number of representatives from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with the EU and US, have been invited to observe polling.
More than 100 foreign journalists are believed to have received permission to cover the vote.
A rare watercolor artwork of Paul Cezanne missing since 1953 is expected to sell for as much as $20 million at auction in May, Christie’s said on Tuesday.
The late 19th-century work on paper is one of Paul Cezanne’s preparatory studies for his seminal Card Players series of five paintings, “Joueurs des cartes”.
Its whereabouts had been unknown for decades until it re-emerged from the collection of a doctor in Texas. The auction house found the drawing when it was working with the estate of Dr. Heinz Eichenwald, who died at his Dallas home in September at the age of 85.
“They were very private people,” Christie’s president Marc Porter said, adding the work had been in the family for eight decades.
“The art was for their enjoyment rather than for public display. It was not hidden away in the house, it was enjoyed. But it wasn’t as important for their social position as it was for them,” Marc Porter said.
The late 19th-century work on paper is one of Paul Cezanne's preparatory studies for his seminal Card Players series of five paintings
In 2011, the catalog of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition of Paul Cezanne’s Card Players listed the work as “whereabouts unknown”.
Sharon Kim, Christie’s international director of Impressionist and modern art, said it had been feared the work had been lost to history by collectors and scholars.
When a Cezanne watercolor was mentioned in the estate Christie’s was intrigued.
“We checked and found it fit the description of the <<whereabouts unknown>> piece and knew this was really likely it,” Sharon Kim said.
The study is most closely linked to the two-figure version of the Card Players series at the Musee D’Orsay in Paris.
“You can see the immediacy in the work, like the D’Orsay’s. He’s working through the process of how he’s going to execute this on canvas,” Sharon Kim explained, adding that it looks like it was painted yesterday.
“The colors were astonishing,” she added.
The doctor’s estate was aware of the work’s importance but astounded by it estimated value.
Paul Cezanne's painting Two Card Players is said to have been sold for $250 million
It is thought Heinz Eichenwald’s parents brought the drawing with them to the U.S. when they fled the Nazi occupation of Europe. The deceased doctor was a keen art enthusiast and collector, and it is expected there will be many more items to feature in the Christie’s sales.
Heinz Eichenwald is said to have “transformed medical care for children across north Texas and around the world for more than 40 years”, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Christie’s estimates the work will sell for up to $20 million. It will be the first time in a decade that the leading highlight of its sale of Impressionist and Modern Art has been a work on paper.
The work will be exhibited in Geneva in April before a New York showing ahead of the May 1 sale.
Earlier this week, Sotheby’s announced a find of its own, a painting by the pioneering female artist Tamara de Lempicka, which is expected to fetch nearly $5 million at auction.
A West Coast construction company owner had the work in his home for years before being advised it might be a Lempicka.
Raffles Van Exel, Whitney Houston’s close friend, seems to be “extremely relieved” he is not in the crosshairs of the Beverly Hills Police Department in the singer’s death investigation.
Several reports were posted this week that someone removed cocaine from Whitney Houston’s hotel room before authorities arrived, and the reports say detectives were targeting Raffles Van Exel.
The stories are not true, because authorities actually found cocaine in Whitney Houston’s Beverly Hilton hotel room and detectives are satisfied they have all the evidence they need to close the case.
Raffles Van Exel, Whitney Houston's close friend, seems to be "extremely relieved" he is not in the crosshairs of police in the singer's death investigation
There is no investigation focusing on anyone removing evidence from the hotel room.
As for Raffles Van Exel, sources told TMZ that he is going to the Beverly Hills PD next week with his lawyer to make sure they’re square with him.
Whitney Houston’s personal effects, which went on the first public sale since the singer’s death in February, raised $18,750 on Saturday.
Whitney Houston’s earrings worn in 1992 film The Bodyguard went under the hammer for $2,812 at a two-day auction of Hollywood greats’ treasures, alongside other items that once belonged to the late singer.
The Hollywood Legends sale of stars’ possessions was held at Julien’s Auctions which is just down the road from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Whitney Houston was found dead aged 48.
A grey velvet gown Whitney Houston wore to music mogul Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party in 1996 went for $11,250.
Pearl drop earrings worn by Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard were sold for $2,812, while a vest she sported in the film commanded $3,437.
Pearl drop earrings worn by Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard were sold for $2,812 at The Hollywood Legends sale on Saturday
Other items included a plum velvet dress, which brought $7,500, and a black and gold pants outfit that fetched $2,125.
Other lots include Charlie Chaplin’s iconic cane, a suit and his driving license, a Superman costume and a vintage Christian Dior gown worn by Princess Diana.
Clark Gable’s riding jacket from Gone with the Wind is expected to fetch between $10,000 and $15,000.
Charlton Heston’s screen robe, staff and tablets from The Ten Commandments will go under the hammer too.
Julien’s Auctions owner Darren Julien has revealed over 50 friends, family and former colleagues have contacted his office offering to sell items since her tragic death at the age of just 48 in February 11.
Darren Julien said: “This is something that commonly happens after somebody passes … especially someone with the status of Whitney Houston. Her items can increase 10, 20 even 30 times compared to their previous value prior to her death. These items become part of history really.
“Whitney is a legend so it’s definitely an appropriate auction for her. It’s a reason to celebrate her life, not put these items in a box under the bed … Her items are now more sought after.”
Darren Julien believes bids for Whitney Houston’s dresses will reach tens of thousands of dollars because she is someone “that will maintain a collectability” because of her incredible career.
Four contemporary artworks worth $1 million stolen from a New York gallery have been recovered in Germany 24 years on.
A total of six artworks were taken from the Soloman Gallery in 1988, with one turning up in 2003.
But the remainder of works remained hidden until they turned up in the estate of a dead German art dealer.
The dealer’s daughter had attempted to get the paintings authenticated, alerting the Art Loss Register (ALR) to their whereabouts.
The ALR said there was still one painting yet to be found.
Mulberry Centre by Franz Kline was stolen along with five other works by Robert Motherwell, Karel Appel, Jean Dubuffet and Fernand Leger.
In 2003 the Karel Appel canvas was recovered after a solicitor working for the unnamed German art dealer searched the ALR database, alerting authorities to its existence.
The Blue Bottle by Fernand Leger was found in the estate of a German art dealer
The dealer claimed to have unwittingly bought five of the six stolen paintings, but no financial records could be located and none of the other paintings could be located as the lawyer refused to divulge his client’s name.
Four of the paintings were discovered when the daughter of the now deceased art dealer, approached New York’s Dedalus Foundation to authenticate one of the artworks.
The organization alerted the ALR, who dispatched a team to identify the artworks.
ALR lawyer Christopher A Marinello said: “We’re going to make life difficult for those who attempt to sell stolen art.
“You can hide behind lawyers and look for loopholes in civil law jurisdictions, but eventually you’re going to have to deal with some very uncomfortable issues.
“The problem will not simply disappear with the passage of time. Leaving stolen artworks to the next generation is a losing proposition.”
The paintings are now owned by the gallery’s insurance company which is currently holding talks with the former gallery owners about returning the pictures to their collection.
Tuareg rebels have taken control of the Malian garrison town of Gao, including the largest military base in the north of the country.
Capt. Amadou Sanogo, whose troops seized power in a coup last week, said in a statement that his soldiers had ceded control to avoid fighting in residential areas.
There are reports of casualties but no figures have been given.
The loss of Gao is a serious blow to the coup leaders.
They deposed the president in protest at what they saw as the poor conduct of the fight against the Tuareg rebels.
Tuareg rebels have taken control of the Malian garrison town of Gao
The historic city of Timbuktu is now the only major northern town that remains under the control of the Malian army.
Rebel sources say they are already positioned in its outskirts and residents fear fighting could erupt soon.
Regional group Ecowas has put 2,000 troops on standby in case of a possible intervention in Mali.
It has threatened to close land borders, freeze assets and impose a financial blockade if the army does not stand down before Monday.
The rebels took Gao hours after another town, Kidal, fell to them.
Witnesses reported heavy gunfire coming from the main military camp in Gao and helicopters engaging rebel fighters.
Before the coup, Malian forces had struggled to drive back the rebels and officers had complained that the army needed more equipment to fight.
Capt. Amadou Sanogo has asked for foreign help to fight the rebels but has been condemned over the coup.
Members of the military leadership are in neighboring Burkina Faso for talks with President Blaise Compaore, who is mediating in the crisis.
Separatist rebels seeking to carve out a desert homeland began a rebellion in the West African state in January.
The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) want an independent north while a smaller, Islamist group called the Ansar Edine wants to impose Sharia law.
Azawad is the Tuareg name for their home region in the Sahara Desert.
The Tuaregs have launched several rebellions over the years, complaining that the government in Bamako ignores them.
The conflict has been fuelled by the return of Tuareg fighters from Libya last year after fighting for the late Muammar Gaddafi or his opponents.
It appears these fighters are heavily armed with looted weapons.
Analysts say the rebels have taken advantage of Mali’s military coup to move swiftly across the north.
Tom Schaar, a 12-year-old boy from Malibu, California, crushed the dreams of famous and amateur skateboarders this week when he set a world record to become the first person to land a three-rotation 1080 move.
Tom Schaar, a six-grader, pulled off the maneuver consisting of three full rotations that has been unsuccessfully attempted by the sport’s best for years.
The boy who is less than 5 ft tall completed the difficult trick at the Woodward West action sports camp in Tehachapi, California.
Tom Schaar told ESPN.com: “It was the hardest trick I’ve ever done, but it was easier than I thought.”
The boy completed the move after trying five times.
Tom Schaar, 12, set a world record to become the first person to land a three-rotation 1080 move
Tom Schaar has skated throughout his short life.
He has completed a number of stunts with his skateboard, including a 720 maneuver.
But the 1080 move spun Tom Schaar into the record books – and dashed the hopes of well-known skaters who were pegged as being the first to be able to land the tough stunt.
Shaun White, defending X Games Skate Vert champion, was believed to become the first to achieve the move.
He won his first Winter Olympic snowboard gold medal in 2006.
There was also another youngster, 14-year-old Mitchie Brusco, who was viewed as the sure bet to do a 1080 when he tried it in Pennsylvania.
But instead the 80-lb Tom Schaar destroyed those possibilities.
Bob Burnquist, the 35-year-old defending X Games Big Air gold medalist, told ESPN that he hopes to learn from Tom Schaar in the future.
Bob Burnquist said: “Tom’s a little giant and a spinning machine.”
With a half-billion-dollar multistate lottery jackpot up for grabs, plenty of folks are fantasizing about how to spend the money. But doing it the right way – protecting your riches, your identity and your sanity – takes some thought and planning.
Making sure you don’t blow the nation’s largest-ever lottery jackpot within a few years means some advice is in order before the Mega Millions drawing Friday, especially if you’re really, really, really lucky.
With a $640 million multistate lottery jackpot up for grabs, plenty of folks are fantasizing about how to spend the money
Q: What do I do with the ticket?
A: Before anything else, sign the back of the ticket. That will stop anyone else from claiming your riches if you happen to drop it while you’re jumping up and down. Then make a photocopy and lock it in a safe. At the very least, keep it where you know it’s protected. A Rhode Island woman who won a $336 million Powerball jackpot in February hid the ticket in her Bible before going out to breakfast.
Q: What next?
A: Relax; breathe; take time to think about your next move. Don’t do anything you’ll regret for the next 30 years, like calling your best friend or every one of your aunts, uncles and cousins. It doesn’t take long to be overwhelmed by long-lost friends, charities and churches wanting to share your good fortune. You’ve waited a lifetime to hit the jackpot; you can wait a few days before going on a spending spree.
Q: So whom should I tell first?
A: Contacting a lawyer and a financial planner would be a lot wiser than updating your Facebook status. Make sure it’s someone you can trust and, it’s hoped, dealt with before. If you don’t have anyone in mind, ask a close family member or friend. Oklahoma City attorney Richard Craig, whose firm has represented a handful of lottery winners, says it’s essential to assemble a team of financial managers, tax experts, accountants and bankers.
Q: Remind me, how much did I win?
A: As it stands now, the Mega Millions will pay out a lump sum of $359 million before taxes. The annual payments over 26 years will amount to just over $19 million before taxes.
Q: How much will I pay in taxes?
A: This partly depends on where you live. Federal tax is 25%; then there’s your state income tax. In Ohio, for example, that’s another 6%. And you might need to pay a city tax depending on the local tax rules. So count on about a third of your winnings going to the government.
Q: Should I take the cash payout or annual payments?
A: This is the big question, and most people think taking the lump sum is the smart move. That’s not always the case. First, spreading the payments out protects you from becoming the latest lottery winner who’s lost all their money. Don McNay, author of the book “Son of a Son of a Gambler: Winners, Losers and What to Do When You Win the Lottery”, says nine out of 10 winners go through their money in five years or less. “It’s too much, too fast,” he says. “Nobody is around them putting the brakes on the situation.”
Q: But what if I’m good at managing the money?
A: Invested properly, the lump sum option can be a good choice. There’s more planning that you can use to reduce estate taxes and other financial incentives. Others, though, say that with annual payments, you are taxed on the money only as it comes in, so that will put you in a lower tax bracket rather than taking a big hit on getting a lump sum. And you still can shelter the money in tax-free investments and take advantage of tax law changes over the years.
Q: Should I try to shield my identity?
A: Absolutely. This will protect you from people who want you to invest in their business scheme or those who need cash in an emergency. Lottery winners are besieged by dozens of people and charities looking for help. “There are people who do that for a living. Unless you understand that, you can become a victim very quickly,” says Steve Thornton, an attorney in Bowling Green, Kentucky, who has represented two jackpot winners.
Q: So how can I protect myself?
A: Again, it somewhat depends on where you live. In Ohio, you can form a trust to manage the money and keep your winnings a secret. In other states, you can form a trust but still be discovered through public records. And a few states require you to show up and receive your oversized check in front of a bunch of cameras, making it impossible to stay anonymous. Steve Thornton set up a corporation in the late 1990s to protect the identity of a client in Kentucky who won $11 million. “No one had done this before, and there were legal questions about whether a corporation can win,” he says. “We were able to hide their names.”
Q: Is it OK to splurge a little?
A: Sure, it’s why you bought a ticket, right? “Get it out of your system, but don’t go overboard,” Don McNay says. But remember that if there’s a new Mercedes-Benz in the driveway, your neighbors will probably be able to figure out who won the jackpot.
Q: How much should I help my family and others?
A: It’s certainly a natural desire to help relatives in need and take care of future generations. But use extreme caution when giving out your money. Jack Whittaker, a West Virginia contractor who won a nearly $315 million Powerball jackpot in 2002, quickly fell victim to scandals, lawsuits and personal setbacks. His foundation spent $23 million building two churches, and he’s been involved in hundreds of legal actions. “If you win, just don’t give any money away, because the more money you give away, the more they want you to give. And once you start giving it away, everybody will label you an easy touch and be right there after you. And that includes everybody,” Jack Whittaker said five years ago.
Only two of the three holders of the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot have collected their lottery prize, as officials urge them to do so.
The player who bought the ticket in Kansas has still not contacted officials, as two other winners from Illinois and Maryland celebrate their win.
Each winner is in line to receive $154 million as a lump sum.
A video producer, Tom Kreft, named by Wall Street Journal reporter Lauren Schuker as the Maryland winner today denied that he had won.
Maryland does not require lottery winners to be identified so the Mega Millions winner can claim the prize anonymously. The store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which was purchased on the night of the draw.
One winning ticket was purchased in northeast Kansas, but no other information would be released by the Kansas Lottery until the winner comes forward, spokeswoman Cara S. Sloan-Ramos said.
No winner had contacted the agency by Saturday morning, Kansas Lottery Director Dennis Wilson said. “We sure want to meet the winner, but we want to tell them, sign the back of the ticket and secure it.”
Only two of the three holders of the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot have collected their lotery prize
Kansas law also allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, though lottery winners in Illinois are identified.
Mike Lang, spokesman for the Illinois Lottery, said his state’s winning ticket was sold in the small town of Red Bud, near St. Louis. The winner used a quick pick to select the numbers, he said.
“It’s just unbelievable. Everyone is wanting to know who it is,” said Denise Metzger, manager of the Motomart where Illinois’ winning ticket was sold.
“All day yesterday I was selling tickets and I was hoping someone from Red Bud would win. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this. I’m just tickled pink.”
While only three people hit the big jackpot with all six numbers, at least 42 tickets matched five of six numbers – 29 in California, 12 in Illinois and one in Kansas, according to lottery officials.
California Lottery Commission spokesman Alex Traverso said the payout on those tickets will be about $125,000 to $130,000.
The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.
Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sum and around $347 million after tax.
The average American was more likely to be killed in a mass murder than win the jackpot. Fifty three times more likely, in fact. Dying in an avalanche sometime in the next decade is 160 times more likely than winning.
Unfortunately, not all Americans had a chance of winning the biggest jackpot in history as Mega Millions is only played in 42 states.
However residents in other non-playing states can purchase tickets in the states they are sold in as there is no residency requirement to play and win.
Even non U.S. citizens could have played, but the tax they would have to pay on winnings is different.
At 173-million-to-one, the odds of scoring the largest lottery win in US history are so long they’re literally unfathomable. And mathematicians say there’s no way to improve them – except by buying more tickets.
In theory, with such a massive jackpot would be possible to “invest” $173 million to play every number combination and then rake in $560 million in winnings.
That is, at $1 a ticket, and 173 million possible combinations, you could play every number and increase the odds of winning to 100% and rake in more than 320 percent profit. (Though, that begs the question: “If you’ve got $173 million laying around, why are you playing the lottery?”)
The three winning tickets are less surprising as there was only a 3% chance there is only one winning ticket.
China’s Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge has opened today allowing motorists to cross over a canyon – at 1,102ft.
Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge is now the world’s highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge.
Work started on the feat of engineering in October 2007 and the bulk of the work finished at the end of last year.
The record-breaking bridge is designed to ease traffic in the Jishou area of Hunan province and officially opened to motorists today.
Drivers can take in the views of the Dehang Canyon as they steer their way across all 3,858ft of the new sky-high road which links two tunnels.
Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge is now the world's highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge
The bridge, which is lit up at night with 1,888 lights, is the fourth suspension bridge to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges.
Once on the bridge cars and lorries can motor along a two-way, four-lane motorway at about 50 mph. Pedestrians can also walk along it on a special walkway under the road.
The bridge is a key part of the Jishou-Chadong Expressway, a 64-kilometre road which has 18 different tunnels which cover about half of its length.
It is hoped the bridge will help ease traffic jams which are common in the mountainous area which has narrow, steep and winding roads.
The structure is supported by a base 78 ft wide.
China is has the longest bridge in the world, the Danyang Kunshan Grand Bridge which is just over 100miles long and was built two years ago to carry the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway.
Earth Hour 2012 made famous landmarks from all around the world, which normally light up the night sky, to plunge into darkness today to raise the profile of climate change.
Sydney’s iconic Harbor Bridge and Opera House were among the first buildings around the world to begin the blackout.
Later on Washington’s National Cathedral, London’s Clock Tower, the Great Wall of China and Tokyo Tower will also be dimmed at 8:30 p.m. local time.
Central Sydney icons have been taking part in the annual event since Earth Hour began as a Sydney-only event in 2007.
Australia is among the first countries to hit the light switches each year.
In New Zealand, Sky Tower in Auckland and parliament buildings in Wellington switched off two hours earlier.
The small island nation of Samoa was the first to switch off the lights.
The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge plunged into darkness today to raise the profile of climate change
The Faleolo International Airport went dark as the community came together to launch a number of local green activities for the year ahead.
People in Fiji also switched off their lights where possible despite the devastating floods.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Washington-based environmental group that organizes the event, said the number of countries and territories participating had grown from 135 last year to 147 this year.
Organizers say businesses and residents in 6,400 towns and cities are taking part.
Libya, Algeria, Bhutan and French Guinea are among those participating for the first time.
WWF official Dermot O’Gorman said: “Earth Hour 2012 is a celebration of people power; the world’s largest mass event in support of the planet.”
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said: “Turning off our lights is a symbol of our commitment to sustainable energy for all.
“We need to fuel our future with clean, efficient and affordable energy. By acting together today, we can power a brighter tomorrow.”
Strategic Mali garrison town of Gao have been attacked by Tuareg rebels with heavy weapons, hours after another town, Kidal, fell to them.
Two army helicopters were scrambled in response, a local official told AFP news agency by phone.
Gao, with a population of 87,000, more than twice the size of Kidal, hosts one of the biggest garrisons in the north.
Separatist rebels seeking to carve out a desert homeland began a rebellion in the west African state in January.
A regional group, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), has placed on alert a peacekeeping force of 2,000 soldiers, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
After a coup by disgruntled military officers in Mali a week ago, Ecowas has threatened to close land borders, freeze assets and impose a financial blockade if the army does not stand aside before Monday.
“We can hear heavy fire coming in the direction of the main military camp,” a Reuters reporter said.
“People here are running all over the place and all the shops are closing.”
Strategic Mali garrison town of Gao have been attacked by Tuareg rebels with heavy weapons
Mahamane Diakite, an aide to the governor of Gao, told AFP: “We can hear heavy weapons fire. We have also seen two helicopters taking off to shoot. Rebels have entered the town.”
Malians with family members in Gao say the city is under attack from multiple rocket launchers, the Associated Press reports.
Rebels can expect to meet tougher resistance in Gao, where the majority of troops are from the Bambara tribe, unlike Kidal, where the majority of troops were Tuareg.
Before the coup, Mali’s government forces had struggled to drive back the rebels.
The mid-ranking officers who overthrew the government said the army needed more equipment to fight.
Their leader, Capt. Amadou Sanogo, has asked for foreign help to tackle the rebels but has been condemned over the coup.
Three members of the military leadership have gone to neighboring Burkina Faso for talks with President Blaise Compaore, who is mediating in the crisis.
One of the three – junta chief of staff Colonel Moussa Sinko Coulibaly – said after the talks that he agreed on the need to restore normality.
“There should be a regular and normal constitutional life, and now, the way to establish this, that is what we are going to discuss,” he said.
The Tuareg fought side by side with Islamist fighters to take over Kidal.
However, it is not clear how they will share their success.
Rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) want an independent north while a smaller, Islamist group called the Ansar Edine wants to impose Sharia law.
Azawad is the Tuareg name for their home region in the Sahara Desert.
The Tuaregs have launched several rebellions over the years, complaining that the government in Bamako ignores them.
The conflict has been fuelled by the return of Tuareg fighters from Libya last year after fighting for the late Muammar Gaddafi or his opponents.
It appears these fighters are heavily armed with looted weapons.
Analysts say the rebels have taken advantage of the recent military coup to move swiftly from target to target across the north.
If Gao falls, the only major town in government hands in the north will be Timbuktu.
Martha Jo Katz, a former hotel social director who worked with Whitney Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown recalled the late singer loved Atlanta, her home for many years.
“When she first started coming to the hotel, probably around 1992 or 1993, she was so beautiful,” said Martha Jo Katz, who served as director of social events for the Swissotel in Buckhead (now the Westin) from 1991 to 2004.
“I can remember her telling me how much she loved Atlanta. It was so green. People were nice and friendly here. She liked being in Atlanta. When I first met her she was fairly quiet and reserved. She was very cordial. You have to understand that a lot of high profile actors and singers are very high maintenance.”
Over time, Whitney Houston became something of a high-attention client, too.
“She always had very beautiful suites. There were things they had to have in their suite,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“They did some entertaining up there so there were certain foods and beverages that they requested.”
Whitney Houston often brought groups of friends to the hotel, and was frequently spotted with her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.
“She loved that child. That was the apple of her eye. That child was so important to her,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“One of the last times I saw her she was having dinner with her daughter and they were eating with Brandy. When I stopped to talk to her she said, do you know Brandy?”
Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston’s Atlanta home under construction in 1993
Even after Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown bought a home at Country Club of the South they – especially Whitney – remained clients. She always enjoyed her time there.
“She ordered room service, she went shopping at Lenox and Phipps,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“She was fairly visible. A lot of times celebrities want to come in the back way. They want to take the service elevator with bodyguards. But she would come down the (guest) elevator. She’d be in the bar, at The Palm. It wasn’t like she hid.”
Over time, though, Whitney Houston became thinner and thinner and sometimes seemed distressed.
“Sometimes she would come through the lobby without makeup,” Martha Jo Katz said. “Towards the end of the time I was there – 2004 – sometimes she would be in the lobby or at the bar with no makeup, no sunglasses or hat, which I thought was unusual.”
Martha Jo Katz said she’ll remember Whitney Houston in her early prime.
“I want to remember that other way,” she said.
“It was sad that her demons had just gotten a hold of her and she couldn’t control it.”
Scientists claim that spacecrafts could one day navigate through the cosmos using a particular type of dead star as a kind of GPS.
German scientists are developing a technique that allows for very precise positioning anywhere in space by picking up X-ray signals from pulsars.
These dense, burnt-out stars rotate rapidly, sweeping their emission across the cosmos at rates that are so stable they rival atomic clock performance.
This timing property is perfect for interstellar navigation, says the team.
If a spacecraft carried the means to detect the pulses, it could compare their arrival times with those predicted at a reference location. This would enable the craft to determine its position to an accuracy of just five kilometres anywhere in the galaxy.
“The principle is so simple that it will definitely have applications,” said Prof. Werner Becker from the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching.
“These pulsars are everywhere in the Universe and their flashing is so predictable that it makes such an approach really straightforward,” said Prof. Werner Becker.
Spacecrafts could one day navigate through the cosmos using a particular type of dead star as a kind of GPS
Prof. Werner Becker has been describing his team’s research here at the UK National Astronomy Meeting in Manchester.
The proposed technique is very similar to that employed in the popular Global Positioning System, which broadcasts timing signals to the user from a constellation of satellites in orbit.
But GPS only works on, or just above, the Earth so it has no use beyond our planet.
Currently, mission controllers wanting to work out the position of their spacecraft deep in the Solar System will study the differences in time radio communications take to travel to and from the satellite. It is a complex process and requires several antennas dotted across the Earth.
It is also a technique that is far from precise, and the errors increase the further away the probe moves.
For the most distant spacecraft still in operation – NASA’s Voyager satellites, which are now approaching the very edge of the Solar System, some 18 billion km away – the errors associated with their positions are on the order of several hundred kilometers.
Even for a probe at the reasonably short separation of Mars, the positioning uncertainty can be about 10 km.
It is unlikely though that navigation by pulsar beacon will find immediate use.
The telescope hardware for detecting X-rays in space has traditionally been bulky and heavy.
Engineers will need to miniaturize the technology to make a practical pulsar navigation unit.
“It becomes possible with the development of lightweight X-ray mirrors,” said Prof. Werner Becker.
“These are on the way for the next generation of X-ray telescopes. Current mirrors have a 100 times more weight and would be completely unusable.
“In 15-20 years, the new mirrors will be standard and our device will be ready to be built.”
The scientist believes his navigation solution will certainly find use on Solar System probes, providing autonomous navigation for interplanetary missions and perhaps for future manned ventures to Mars where high performance systems will be an absolute requirement for safety reasons.
But he also likes the idea of humanity one day pushing out across interstellar space.
“You know for GPS that if you go to another country, you have to buy the maps for your device. Well, we were joking with our students in Garching about selling maps for different galaxies for ships like Enterprise [on Star Trek].”
US credit firms Visa, Mastercard and Discover have warned that credit card holders’ personal information could be at risk after a security breach.
The companies said there had been “no breach” of its own system, instead blaming a third party.
Security blog KrebsOnSecurity, which first reported the story, said industry sources believed more than 10 million cards may have been compromised.
Reports suggested the stolen details had been obtained in New York.
The Wall Street Journal quoted its own industry sources as saying card-processing firm Global Payments was the company that suffered the breach. Shares in the company fell by more than 9% on Friday.
Global Payments has not responded to requests for comment.
Visa, Mastercard and Discover have warned that credit card holders' personal information could be at risk after a security breach
None of the three companies, which are the three of the largest credit card processors would confirm how many customers were affected.
Visa and Mastercard, also used for debit cards of major US banks, said they had notified banks of the breach.
Discover Financial Services said it was monitoring accounts and would reissue cards if necessary.
In a statement, Mastercard said: “[We are] concerned whenever there is any possibility that cardholders could be inconvenienced and we continue to both monitor this event and take steps to safeguard account information.
“If cardholders have any concerns about their individual accounts, they should contact their issuing financial institution.”
Visa echoed Mastercard’s statement, emphasizing that its customers are not responsible for fraudulent purchases.
Gartner analyst Avivah Litan said she believed the breach was related to a taxi garage in New York City.
“So if you’ve paid a NYC cab in the last few months with your credit or debit card – be sure to check your card statements for possible fraud,” she said.
FiveFingers running shoes, which are designed to simulate the sensation of running barefoot, have received negative attention due to a class-action lawsuit against the company.
Vibram USA Inc’s FiveFingers shoes have been spotted on some of the world’s most famous feet such as those of Prince Harry, Kate Hudson and Shailene Woodley.
Valerie Bezdek from Florida is suing the company for making misleading statements about the FiveFingers product. She claims that the shoes pose more risk to the wearer than regular running shoes, and even bare feet.
Valerie Bezdek, who purchased a pair of the FiveFingers footwear for $104.90 in April of last year, has made claims for damages and attorney’s fees and costs on the behalf of “thousands… the precise number is unknown”.
The lawsuit included information from the American Podiatric Medical Association about barefoot running to help back her case.
A lawsuit against FiveFingers shoes claims that they pose more risk to the wearer than regular running shoes, and even bare feet
The lawsuit stated: “Research has not yet adequately shed light on the immediate and long-term effects of this practice.
“Risks of barefoot running include a lack of protection – which may lead to injuries such as puncture wounds – and increased stress on the lower extremities.”
Made to replicate the effects of barefoot running, Vibram USA Inc stated that their product provides “all the health benefits of barefoot running”.
The FiveFingers shoes maker has not shown any details of scientific research to support their glowing claims.
Chief executive Tony Post told the San Francisco Chronicle: “It used to be all about adding more. Now, we’re trying to strip a lot of that away.”
But through Valerie Bezdek’s research, it has been claimed that they may in fact “increase injury risk”.
Valerie Bezdek also made note of the product’s hefty price tags. A pair of FiveFingers range from about $80 to $125 each.
The National Sporting Goods Association claimed in 2010 that the average price for jogging/running shoes was $62.33.
The price has risen consistently every year since 2008 but rarely by more than five per cent.
The lawsuit states: “Defendants have used these claims to charge a premium for FiveFingers that consumers readily paid, believing FiveFingers would confer upon them significant health benefits.”
News of the case comes after another $5 million lawsuit was filed against Boston-based footwear company New Balance in January.
It claimed that the footwear company had also embellished in outling their own running product’s health benefits.
Lottery officials has announced that three ticket holders have got all six numbers in the $640 million Mega Millions lottery draw – putting them in line to receive $154 million each as a lump sum.
Lottery players in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas hold winning tickets, according to lottery organizers.
The winning numbers were 46, 23, 38, 4 and 2, while the Mega ball was 23 in last night’s draw that saw Americans vie for the biggest lottery jackpot in world history as 1.5 billion tickets were sold across the country.
The average American was more likely to be killed in a mass murder than win the jackpot. Fifty three times more likely, in fact. Dying in an avalanche sometime in the next decade is 160 times more likely than winning.
Lottery officials has announced that three ticket holders have got all six numbers in the $640 million Mega Millions lottery draw
What could you buy with $640 million?
• Six Boeing 767 private jets
• 270 Bugatti Veyrons, the world’s most expensive car
• 600 years of Tim Tebow at his current salary
• 3,200 tickets into space on Virgin Galactic
• New York’s most expensive $88 million apartment – and another six properties of the same cost
• The New Jersey Nets basketball team
• 120 years in the Presidential suite at New York’s Four Seasons hotel
Earth Hour is a worldwide event that is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change.
Earth Hour was an ultra-extreme-leftist event conceived by WWF and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights. Following Sydney’s lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008.
Earth Hour 2011 was the biggest year in the campaign’s five year history, reaffirming it as the largest ever voluntary action for the environment. It took place in a record 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories in all seven continents. It had an estimated reach of 1.8 billion people across the globe. In addition to this, the campaign’s digital footprint grew to 91 million.
In 2011, Earth Hour’s iconic global “lights out” event, some of the world’s most recognized landmarks, including the Forbidden City, Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, Golden Gate Bridge, Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue and Sydney Opera House switched off their lights.
Earth Hour 2012 will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at participant’s local time.
Earth Hour is so much more than lights out. It’s an invitation to change your world.
In February, Earth Hour launched its 2012 campaign, “I Will If You Will” (IWIYW), with the intention of engaging its growing global community to go beyond the hour and coordinate their efforts publicly through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email. Using a dedicated YouTube platform , IWIYW asks Earth Hour’s digital community to inspire people from all corners of the globe to take sustainability actions, and to share their commitment to the environment with their own social media networks.
Earth Hour 2012 will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., at participant's local time
Executive Director and Co-Founder Andy Ridley said: “Earth Hour’s challenge is no longer to connect people; the challenge is to offer a reason to connect. Any movement of change begins with symbolism – it’s a needed step to prove enough people care about an issue. Earth Hour is past the beginning now, and lots of people are switching their lights off every year in March. We’re now at the stage of taking it beyond the hour.”
YouTube, following the previous year’s example, changed its logo and added a switch on/off feature near the title of each video, so that users can change the background color from white to black.
We only have one planet. You can help protect it. Participate in the world’s largest single campaign for the planet: Earth Hour. It starts by turning off your lights for an hour at 8:30 pm on March 31, 2012 in a collective display of commitment to a better future for the planet. Think what can be achieved when we all come together for a common cause.
“I Will If You Will” is a simple promise and a challenge. Dare anyone (your Facebook friends, co-workers, celebrity crushes) to accept your challenge and help protect the Earth or accept the challenge of someone else.
The Earth Hour City Challenge encourages cities to prepare for the costly impacts of climate-related extreme weather and to reduce their carbon footprint. You can be an integral part in this challenge. Send a letter to your mayor, urging them to prepare for a changing climate.
Why is your participation important?
Our future depends on it. Across the world, biodiversity and natural habitats are disappearing at a greater rate than ever before. We are depleting the earth of wild animals, water, wood and other natural resources faster than they can be replenished; polluting and altering natural habitats and changing the entire planet’s climate.
Things will only worsen if we continue in the same direction.
Earth Hour raises awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet.
Salma Hayek, the Mexican beauty who dated one of Hollywood’s hottest men for three years, admits that life wasn’t all hunky dory as far as her looks are concerned.
Salma Hayek, 45, opened up to the new issue of Lucky magazine about suffering “severe, severe depression” from a skin condition and being overweight as a struggling actress.
She insists it was a far different story when she was 25 and trying to break into movies.
Salma Hayek told the May issue of the women’s publication: “You want to talk about bad skin? I had acne.”
Appearing happy and healthy on the shopping title, Salma Hayek looks a natural stunner in a blue off-the-shoulder dress which accentuated her ample bust.
Salma Hayek admits that life wasn’t all hunky dory as far as her looks are concerned
With her mane of thick locks blowing in the breeze her skin looks fresh and a picture of perfection however she states it was once in terrible condition.
Salma Hayek added: “And this acne was so bad it sent me into severe, severe depression. Like I couldn’t leave the house. The next stage with that sort of depression is food – too little or too much. Guess what I did?”
The actress admits she piled on the pounds when her body reacted badly to the pressures of achieving success in the early Nineties.
“I was fat and broken out. I couldn’t leave the house and I couldn’t pay the rent!”
Salam Hayek credits director Alfonso Cuaron for teaching her “to meditate, to relax” and also says Accutane also known as Roaccutane “cured” the acne.
She continued: “Since then my skin’s forever sensitive and dry.”
As for more drastic beauty treatments, Salma Hayek insists she hasn’t tried to turn back the years yet.
Salma Hayek admitted: “Botox – trust me, I’ve been tempted, but I resist!”
Octogenarian Johanna Quaas showed off her skills at the 2012 Cottbus World Cup in Germany, where she wowed the crowd with her moves, performing an impressive parallel bar and floor demonstration.
Ultra flexible Johanna Quaas, 86, of Halle, Saxony, was a late starter, beginning her gymnastics training at the age of 30. But that hasn’t held her back.
More than fifty years on she still steals the show from her younger rivals, as a multiple time senior champion of artistic gymnastics in Germany.
Octogenarian Johanna Quaas showed off her skills at the 2012 Cottbus World Cup in Germany
As Johanna Quaas performs routines with the balance, strength and flexibility of a 20-year-old, this geriatric granny could easily be a quarter of her age – were it not for her tell-tale curly bob of snow-white hair and specs balanced on her nose.
And her gymnastic prowess is not the only trophy in her cabinet, Johanna Quaas was once a member of the East German handball champion team, too.
This summer millions of people will visit London and the UK for the 2012 Olympic Games which promise to be an unforgettable experience. London is a vibrant and exciting city but this summer there will be lots more to enjoy including many free fun and interesting events being held because the Olympics is taking place in and around the city.
World-class sporting action will be taking place not only in London but also in other venues across the UK as part of both the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visitors will be able to enjoy the sporting action not only t the venues but in some streets and roads in and around the capital where trials in some events will be taking place such as cycling.
The Olympic Games start on 27 July and run until 12 August 2012.
The Paralympic Games begin on 29 August 20012 and close on 9 September 2012.
During the London 2012 Olympic Games top sportsmen and women from across the world will be competing in 26 sports which break down into 39 disciplines. There are 20 sports in the Paralympic schedule in the London 2012 Games. An Olympic Park has been created on 2.5sq km of land in east London from former industrial land that has been rapidly transformed over the last few years in preparation for the Games.
The new parkland contains thousands of trees and plants and is where the main Olympic Stadium has been built. The stadium which has a capacity of 80,000 for the Games is located in the south of the Olympic Park on an ‘island’ site surrounded by waterways on three sides. Spectators reach the venue via five bridges that link the site to the surrounding area.
Sports taking place in the Olympic Park include Athletics, Basketball, Cycling and Hockey. Other sports such as gymnastics, football and beach volleyball will take place in venues around the capital. Some of the venues in London are located near some of the capital’s most famous tourist attractions such as on the Mall opposite Buckingham Palace and on Horse Guards Parade.
Some trials will take place on the roads of stunning landmarks. For example the cycling trials will take place on the roads around the stunning Hampton Court Palace, formerly home to many famous monarchs. There will also be other sports such as football taking place at venues elsewhere in the UK.
There is a wide range of services and facilities in the Park, around the Olympic Stadium including plenty of cafes, food and drink stands, toilets and baby-changing facilities.
Aerial shoot: Olympic Park
Tickets
It is very unlikely that you can get a ticket for the Olympics on arrival in the City as they will all have been sold prior to the big even but there may be a kiosk set up outside the stadium for ticket re-sales although that has not been confirmed at the moment. And beware of scams and unauthorized websites fraudulently pretending to sell official tickets
There will be huge screens set up in several major parks in the city such as Hyde Park where visitors will be able to watch the Olympics live, for free. The trials for some events will be taking place on the capitals roads so you are likely to be able to action some of the world class action just from being in the right place at the right time.
Traveling to the venues
If you are one of the lucky ticket holders make sure you plan your travel well in advance of the event you are going to watch. Often the organizers are asking people to arrive up to two and a half hours before their session starts especially if it’s at the Olympic stadium so that they will have plenty of time to get through security which will be similar to that at airports. At other venues such as at Horse Guards Parade, 90 minutes in advance.
One soft-sided bag is allowed per person – for example, a medium-sized handbag or small backpack (maximum 25 liters). The bag should be small enough to fit under your seat or on your lap. There is no place to store your luggage.
Accommodation
Like any other major city, London has a vast range of accommodation to cater all budgets, from luxury hotels to budget rooms. For some visitors their accommodation is secondary to the place and the purpose of their visit for others they love home furnishings and home accessories, but it is important to book your accommodation sooner rather than later because hundreds of thousands of people will be visiting the capital during the Games.
London Festival
There will also be what’s called the London Festival held throughout the summer for ever visitor to enjoy, ticket holders and those who just want to soak up the atmosphere. The Festival will be packed with entertaining events, from theater performances, comedy and music both pop and classical to kids and family events as well as carnivals to get you into the party spirit
