How We See The World

Fancy a pint in the world's only bar that's INSIDE a tree? Last updated at 11:43am on 19th December 2007 Comments Some people will go to any lengths for a pint - even if it involves supping in a tree. This bar in the trunk of a Baobab has punters travelling from miles around for a brew. It has been created in a huge 72ft high tree in this garden in Limpopo, South Africa, to keep thirsty locals happy. Scroll down for more... Firsty: The amazing bar, complete with a phone and dartboard, is hollowed into a tree But tourists flock to see the amazing bar inside the hollow 155ft circumference of the trunk. The tree even has its own cellar,…

Teenagers fighting for lives after hair tongs explode in their bedroom By LUKE SALKELD - More by this author » Last updated at 20:43pm on 18th December 2007 Comments (8) Four teenage girls suffered serious burns when their hair-styling tongs exploded in a bedroom. The gas-powered device blew a massive hole through the roof of the house and started a fire which spread to neighbouring properties. The school friends, who are all in a critical condition, had been dressing for a Christmas party when the explosion occurred. Anya Evans, 15, her sister Kira, 14, and their friends Nadine Fardon, 14, and Kimberly Patterson, 15, ran screaming into the street with…

Two teachers suspended after tying up pupil with electrical cable during lesson Last updated at 15:18pm on 19th December 2007 Comments (2) Two teachers have been suspended for tying up a vulnerable sixth former during a lesson at a flagship school. The 16-year-old boy, who has a heart defect, was mocked as he lay humiliated for five minutes after being bound with an electrical cable in the middle of an engineering class. Police and social services are now probing the exclusive £38 million Folkestone Academy in Kent, after mobile phone footage filmed by stunned pupils found its way to parents. Scroll down for more ... Shocking: The pupil …

Britain's only robin 'white breast' prays for snow Last updated at 15:29pm on 19th December 2007 Comments (2) This white-breasted bird sings like a robin, hops like a robin and behaves like a robin but it's missing one thing - it has no red feathers. Just four inches long, the extremely rare robin has been seen hopping around a suburban garden this winter. Its red-breasted cousins are Christmas card favourites but this little bird is partly albino and has no red pigment in its plumage. Scroll down for more ... Robin Whitebreast: Spotted hopping around a garden Wildlife photographer Colin Varndell was called by a keen-eyed amature birdwatche…

'I daren't give up my day job', says Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts By HELEN WEATHERS - More by this author » Last updated at 21:08pm on 7th December 2007 Comments Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts is showing me his gleaming new teeth. Gone are the wonky tombstones which enthralled television viewers almost as much as his singing voice when they voted for him last July. Now his cosmetically enhanced smile, completed just the night before we meet, is toothpaste-commercial perfect. All he needs is the ring of confidence to go with it. Scroll down for more... Pot of gold: Paul on his way to winning Britain's Got Talent It is almo…

Jennifer Saunders tipped as the next Dr Who Last updated at 15:13pm on 18th December 2007 Comments (1) Absolutely Fabulous star Jennifer Saunders is tipped to be the first ever female Time Lord. The comic, famous for her role as outrageous Edina, in is in talks to take on the role of Doctor Who - albeit for a one-off special episode. Scroll down for more... Gender bender: Jennifer Saunders has been tipped to play the first female Dr Who, a role currently held by David Tennant Read more... Doctor Who takes on The Stig in Top Gear racing challenge A source told The Sun: "She's in the running and we all think she would be fantastic." …

Girl claims she was raped at Manchester United players' Christmas party Last updated at 15:34pm on 18th December 2007 Police are investigating claims a woman was raped during the Manchester United Christmas party. The 26-year old woman called 999 claiming she had been sexually assaulted at a luxury hotel where the squad were entertaining 100 "gorgeous girls." The alleged 4am incident was said to have occurred after the players visted a lap dancing club in Manchester only to leave within a minute when they released they had been spotted. The team had invited the women - including models - as guests to their private party at the Great St John Street Hotel in Ma…

Will your Christmas dinner give you dandruff? The side effects of turkey with all the trimmings By LOWRI TURNER - More by this author » Last updated at 08:21am on 18th December 2007 Comments (2) We consume, on average, a whopping 7,000 calories over the course of Christmas Day - four times a woman's daily recommended intake and more than three times a man's. Our usual daily fat allowance is 70g and 90g respectively, but the average Christmas dinner alone contains a staggering 114.2g fat. You'd need to run for nine hours to work off a typical Christmas lunch! No wonder so many of us end up with an extra spare tyre (or two) after the festive blow-out. Scroll…

Amy Winehouse's dad Mitch blasts 'scumbag' Pete Doherty Last updated at 15:27pm on 18th December 2007 Comments (7) Amy Winehouse's father Mitch admits he "went crazy" when he found out his troubled daughter had struck up a friendship with self-confessed drug addict Pete Doherty. While cab driver Mitch doesn't go into details about his confrontation with Doherty, he admits he was disgusted to see the Babyshambles frontman backstage at Amy's gig at Brixton Academy earlier this month. It has been claimed that Mitch smacked Doherty and hit him with a guitar at the Brixton concert. Scroll down for more... Support: Amy Winehouse's father Mitch was unimp…

Animal activists hit out at Japanese aquarium for putting Santa hats on White Whales by RICHARD SHEARS - More by this author » Last updated at 13:15pm on 18th December 2007 Comments It's a scene that brings laughter and cheers from visitors to a Japanese aquarium - two white beluga whales wearing Santa hats. But environmentalists are saddened by the sight of what they say is the final humiliation for the whale in a country that hunts them down with harpoons. The beluga whales have been fitted out with the cute Santa hats to entertain the crowds at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise on Yokohama Island. There's even a chance to receive a wet kiss under the mist…

Lewis Hamilton banned from driving after speeding at 40mph above legal limit Last updated at 15:27pm on 18th December 2007 Comments (10) Formula One sensation Lewis Hamilton has had his driving licence suspended after being caught speeding in Paris, police said today. The 22-year-old British driver, who stunned racing fans with a remarkable debut season on the track, has been banned for a month after being stopped on a French motorway. Hamilton was at the wheel of a £100,000 Mercedes CLK when he was clocked at 120mph near the northern town of Laon on Sunday - more than 40mph over the speed limit. Scroll down for more... Lewis Hamilton was caught …

Biggest sick day of the year kicks off Britain's mammoth Christmas shutdown By NEIL SEARS - More by this author » Last updated at 15:19pm on 18th December 2007 Comments (56) More workers phoned in sick yesterday than any other day of the year, signalling that the UK's festive shutdown has started unusually early. And experts predict a worker mutiny next week will see that figure soar further as workers extend their designated Christmas breaks. An estimated one in 23 workers - or 4.3 per cent of the UK's total workforce - stayed at home yesterday, according to experts. Rail bosses said that stations across the country had experienced reduced numbers of p…

Score six and lose: the day that left Bill Shankly speechless Fifty years ago, Huddersfield went to The Valley and set an unwanted record that still stands today Stephen Chalke Saturday, December 21, 1957. There was drizzle in the cold London air as Huddersfield Town prepared to take the field at The Valley against Charlton Athletic. The Yorkshire side, like their hosts, had not long been relegated from the first division and, under their ambitious manager, Bill Shankly, they were keen to return to the top flight. Shankly’s dressing-room talk was simple, as the Huddersfield right half, Ken Taylor, the Yorkshire cricketer, recalls. “Bill just walked around …

Girl, 11, comes within inch of death as 'drink driver' slams BMW into her bedroom By LUCY BALLINGER - More by this author » Last updated at 08:05am on 17th December 2007 Comments (30) This was the scene after a BMW slammed into the side of a converted barn and was left buried up its to wing mirrors in a brick wall. The powerful 5 Series saloon smashed through a corridor on the other side of the wall and into an 11-year- old girl's bedroom, turning layers of bricks, breeze blocks and plasterboard into rubble. The car also rammed a wardrobe on to Anna-Daisy Stephens' bed - but this shielded her from debris and may saved the youngster's life. Scroll dow…

Girl, 10, saves mother and baby sister after family car plunges into ravine by LUKE SALKELD - More by this author » Last updated at 16:43pm on 17th December 2007 Comments (1) Hero: Annabelle McLeod saved her mother and sister after their car fell into a ravine A girl of ten has been praised for saving her mother and baby sister after their car plunged down an icy ravine. Annabelle McLeod helped her family escape from the wreckage with just minor bruises after the family car skidded off an icy road. Her mother Samantha Rogers lost control of the vehicle which careered 30ft down a ditch, smashing through trees and landing on its roof. She and her…

The Italian mob: FA land Capello but have to take on his entire coaching staff By MATT LAWTON - More by this author » Last updated at 11:02am on 14th December 2007 Comments (2) Fabio Capello should be confirmed as England's new coach today — but last night lawyers were still haggling over the cost of his four Italian assistants. After conference calls with members of the FA board, chief executive Brian Barwick was told he could press ahead with negotiations for a two-and-ahalf year deal worth £6million a season, with the option of a two-year extension. Read more... France coach Domenech blasts FA over Capello appointment Meet the fab four …

The magnificence of dawn breaking: An amazing picture By VICTORIA MOORE - More by this author » Last updated at 00:50am on 17th December 2007 Comments As the sun rises over the remote settlement of Burketown in the Australian outback of northern Queensland, the first, pale rays of light illuminate an awesome sight. It makes its first appearance as nothing more than a narrow, dark line on the horizon. But as dawn breaks and it comes sweeping at high speed across the sky, its shadow rushing across the sandy ground and engulfing Burketown's few houses, the full majesty of this enormous cloud makes itself felt. Scroll down for more... A huge, shimm…

Giant cat-sized rats discovered in Papuan 'lost world' Last updated at 11:23am on 17th December 2007 Comments Giant rats, each as large as a cat, have been discovered in a 'lost world' of exotic animals and plants that scientists liken to the Garden of Eden. The monster rodents dwarf another newly–found creature - a pygmy possum - now being documented as one of the world's smallest creatures that carry their young in a pouch. “These are two animals that were totally unknown to science and we're absolutely thrilled to have discovered them,” said one of the explorers who ventured into the thick jungles of Indonesia's Papua. Scroll down for more... Ra…

English now minority language in 1,300 schools leaving teachers struggling to cope Last updated at 09:10am on 17th December 2007 Comments (43) Union bosses want more money available to schools who are struggling to accomdate so many foreign pupils Rising immigration in Britain now means that there are more than 1,300 schools across the country where children with English as their first language are in the minority. Official figures show that 1,338 primary and secondary schools are made up of mostly foregn speaking pupils, placing huge strain on the education system. In 600 schools, less than a third of pupils speak English as their first la…

Classic children's names conveying style and elegance top this year's favourites By POLLY DUNBAR - More by this author » Last updated at 00:25am on 16th December 2007 Comments (4) Number one: Singer Mika's single Grace Kelly may have propelled the name to the top of the list Classic names reminiscent of stars from a bygone era have topped the list of the popular baby names of 2007, with Grace the favourite choice for girls. Other names in the top 20 - including Ruby, Ella and Evie - suggest parents have shunned modern-day celebrities and taken inspiration from the likes of Grace Kelly, Ella Fitzgerald and Gracie Fields. Singer Mika's No 1 single G…

(I received this email from the Green Party of Ontario, and felt I should share it. Canadians and non-Canadians alike are invited to sign the attached petition.) Canada the worst in the world? An urgent request to sign a Climate Change petition from Ricken Patel one of the founders of Avaaz.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear friends, Right now, a major UN summit in Bali has just a few days left to hammer out an agreement on stopping catastrophic climate change. But instead of helping out, Canada is actually sabotaging the UN talks! On Saturday, experts gave us the global "fossil" award for being …

This thread is dedicate to Paolo Maldini Maldini to draw career to a close AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the season, ending one of the most decorated careers in recent times. World triumph The 39-year-old defender revealed his decision following Milan's 4-2 triumph against CA Boca Juniors to lift the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. Following the game, which resulted in his 26th honour with Milan, he said: "This victory is so great because it's really hard to play with a great team like Milan when you are 39 years old like me. No regrets "This club have always given me the possibility to pl…

Latest 'desperate' attempt to make geography relevant to teens: Beckhams and Insp Morse By SARAH HARRIS and LAURA CLARK - More by this author » Last updated at 00:34am on 17th December 2007 Comments Suitable subject? Morse TV show Teachers are being encouraged to make geography more interesting by linking lessons to Posh and Becks, soap operas and even Inspector Morse. Government curriculum chiefs claim showbusiness can be used to make the subject more "accessible" to teenagers. They suggest giving lessons on David and Victoria Beckham - who have three children and millionaire lifestyles - to teach pupils about population growth and different …

AC Milan beat Boca Juniors 4-2 today to become the first European winners of the FIFA Club World Cup. A double from Filippo Inzaghi and goals from Alessandro Nesta and Kaka earned the Italians a deserved victory at the International Stadium in Yokohama, where a sell-out crowd was treated to a fitting climax to a thrilling tournament. It took Carlo Ancelotti's side 21 minutes to make the breakthrough. Kaka drove at the Boca defence and after his shot was blocked, he instinctively and superbly drove the ball into the path of Inzaghi, who did not require a second invitation to slot the ball home from six yards. From the restart, though, Boca quickly moved the ball up …

Historic climate deal sealed in Bali after U-turn by the United States Last updated at 09:25am on 15th December 2007 Comments (6) Negotiators trying to agree a road map for a new international climate change deal finally managed to broker an historic compromise deal today after days of wrangling. Ministers from around 180 countries meeting in Bali agreed the agenda for a global emissions cuts agreement to launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement to tackle climate change. While it will be two years before a final deal on post-2012 is likely to be struck, countries have been fighting for the kinds of things they want to see on the table for those tal…