North Korea test fires ballistic missile: Seoul

North Korea test fires ballistic missile: Seoul

North Korea on Wednesday test-fired a ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s defence ministry said.

• Posted 03 Aug 2016 08:32
• Updated 03 Aug 2016 08:56

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects a surface-to-surface medium long-range strategic ballistic missile test in North Korea in undated photo. (Photo: AFP)

SEOUL: North Korea on Wednesday test-fired a ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s defence ministry said, in an apparent reaction to the planned deployment of a US missile defence system.

The missile was launched from near the western city of Unyul at around 7.50am Wednesday (6.50am, Singapore time), it added.

The test follows the launch of three ballistic missiles on Jul 19 in what the North said were simulated nuclear strikes on the South.

Pyongyang has carried out a series of missile tests this year in defiance of tough UN sanctions, and vowed to take "physical action" against the planned deployment of a US missile defence system in the South announced in July.

UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from developing ballistic missile technology.

Pyongyang has repeatedly warned of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against the South and US targets, although the main focus of its nuclear weapons programme is to develop a credible strike threat against the US mainland.

A series of missile tests this year aimed at backing up that threat led to an agreement between Seoul and Washington to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, by the end of the year.

North Korea-US tensions had already been stoked by Pyongyang’s fury at Washington’s decision to personally target leader Kim Jong-Un with sanctions related to human rights abuses.

Introducing the retirement home for old age pussycats

Introducing the retirement home for old age pussycats

Elderly cats can spend the last years of their nine lives in comfort at special accommodation dedicated to looking after senior felines.

• 

  

  By Becky Barnes

  Last updated: 04 March 2015, 16:19 GMT

  Elderly cats whose owners pass away or can no longer look after them can live out the rest of their years in comfort at a retirement home dedicated to felines.

  There are 76 ‘Old Age Pussycats’ aged 10 to 20 living at the Lincolnshire Trust for Cats retirement home, which has been adapted especially for moggies.

  

  Pet owners must pay a one-off fee of £850 for their cat to be taken in at the home, which is south-facing – giving animals plenty of sunshine to relax in – and furnished for their comfort.

  Jain Hills, who set up the retirement home in 2001, wanted to do something for older cats when she saw they were being rejected by rehoming charities.

  
  “I don’t think anywhere else does it because people come all the way from London with the cats to come here,” the 65-year-old said.

  The oldest cat at the home is Henry, 20, whose owner died. He has a favourite armchair, which the other cats know not to sit in.

  

  The home is also open to cats whose owners leave the country. One of the whiskered residents gets parcels sent to her from overseas, which she is apparently happy to share with her furry friends.

  The seven-acre retirement facility offers individual rooms for new arrivals while they get settled and has three sitting rooms for the cats to lounge in, linked by enclosed outdoor areas.

  

  The house is kept warm with central heating, is decorated in cat memorabilia and has leather sofas and Indian rugs for the cats to nap on.

  There are also more than 400 stray cats taken in by the charity now living on the grounds.

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Rampaging elephant ‘turns back to save baby’ – BT

 

Rampaging elephant ‘turns back to save baby’

A male elephant that smashed up a house in an Indian village allegedly returned to lift the debris from a crying baby girl.

 

• 

   

  By Becky Barnes

  Last updated: 12 March 2014, 14:03 GMT

  A distressed elephant turned back to save a 10-month-old baby after smashing up a family home, a couple in India have claimed.

  Lalita and Dipak Mahato, who live in a village in West Bengal’s Purilia district, told the Times of India (ToI)  that they were having dinner at around 8pm on Monday night when they heard a “cracking sound”, then a huge crash.

  "We ran over and were shocked to see the wall in pieces and a tusker [male elephant] standing over our baby,” dad Dipak told ToI.

  “She was crying and there were huge chunks of the wall lying all around and on the cot.

  “The tusker started moving away but when our child started crying again, it returned and used its trunk to remove the debris."

  The daily newspaper reports the male elephant removed every last bit of stone, brick and mortar from the tiny girl’s body before returning to the forest.

  "We worship [elephant god] Lord Ganesh in our village,” the baby’s mum Lalita told ToI.

  “Still, I can’t believe that the tusker saved my daughter after breaking down the door and smashing a wall.

  “We watched amazed as it gently removed the debris that had fallen on her. It’s a miracle."

  The youngster was taken to hospital where she was treated for external injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

  According to forest officers, the same elephant has killed at least three people in the last year. It has reportedly damaged at least 17 houses in three adjoining villages.

  Forest officer Om Prokash said elephants come to the villages in search of food and do not intend to harm humans unless they are attacked.

  According to ToI a similar incident was reported in Jalpaiguri’s Madarihat village about six months ago when a herd of elephants carefully removed a little girl before smashing several houses.

Rampaging elephant ‘turns back to save baby’ – BT

The best deal in housing in N Ireland

The Property Spot
83 Armagh Road
Portadown
BT62 3DN
T: 02838 339700
info@thepropertyspot.co.uk

«

Click on thumbnail images to zoom in

30 Crewcatt Road

Richhill

Co Armagh

BT61 8QN

£300,000

• Entrance hall
• Lounge
• Dining room
• Family room
• Large kitchen with family/dining area
• Utility room and downstairs w.c.
• Five bedrooms (two with en suites)
• Double garage
• The property has PVC double glazed sash windows installed
• 3 Patio doors available but not fitted

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Partly Constructed Spacious Detached Family Home
Extending To Approx 4000 Sq Ft Plus Large Garage
Designed By Local Architect Emily Warwick
Located In A Scenic Rural Area With
Views Over Surrounding Countryside 

Entrance porch

10′ 9" x 5′ (3.28m x 1.52m) 

Entrance hall

14′ 8" x 13′ 6" (4.47m x 4.11m) 

Cloakroom

4′ 7" x 4′ 6" (1.40m x 1.37m) 

W.C.

11′ 1" x 4′ 7" (3.38m x 1.40m) 

Lounge

23′ 10" x 15′ 6" (7.26m x 4.72m) Fireplace 

Dining room

14′ 1" x 13′ 6" (4.29m x 4.11m) 

Family room

15′ 7" x 14′ 3" (4.75m x 4.34m) Fireplace 

Kitchen

30′ 5" x 27′ 9" (9.27m x 8.46m) L shaped room, large patio door space 

Rear hall

14′ 6" x 5′ 7" (4.42m x 1.70m) 

Utility room

11′ 5" x 8′ 10" (3.48m x 2.69m) 

W.C.

11′ 5" x 4′ 9" (3.48m x 1.45m) 

1st Floor

Bedroom 1

23′ 9" x 15′ 7" (7.24m x 4.75m) Walk in wardrobe 

Walk in wardrobe

13′ 4" x 7′ (4.06m x 2.13m) Door to bedroom 3 

En suite

13′ 4" x 6′ 10" (4.06m x 2.08m) 

Bedroom 2

18′ x 13′ 4" (5.49m x 4.06m) 

En Suite

13′ 9" x 4′ 7" (4.19m x 1.40m) 

Bedroom 3

16′ 3" x 15′ 7" (4.95m x 4.75m) 

Bedroom 4

13′ 9" x 9′ 10" (4.19m x 3.00m) 

Bedroom 5

17′ 3" x 12′ 1" (5.26m x 3.68m) 

Garage

23′ 7" x 21′ (7.19m x 6.40m) 

Directions

From the Armagh Road at Sleepy Valley, take the Crewcatt Road, the property is on the left at the old railway bridge 

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It’s no wonder he looks grumpy: ‘Hideous’ blobfish is crowned the world’s ugliest animal | Mail Online

 

It’s no wonder he looks grumpy: ‘Hideous’ blobfish is crowned the world’s ugliest animal

A living blob of jelly that dwells in the darkest depths of the ocean has been officially named the world’s ugliest animal.

The blobfish, described as ‘hideous’ by Simon Watt from the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, is a jelly-like fish that resembles a bald, grumpy old man.

Measuring up to a foot in length, it lives between 600 and 1,200 metres below the ocean surface off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania.

The blobfish, described as ‘hideous’ by Simon Watt from the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, measures up to a foot in length. It lives between 600 and 1,200 metres below the ocean surface off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania

Despite being completely inedible, it has a habit of being hauled up in trawler nets.

Experts believe the blobfish is under serious threat, although there are no reliable estimates of its numbers.

‘We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered animals for a long time,’ said Mr Watt, speaking at the British Festival of Science at the University of Newcastle.

 

The Axolotl, a freaky cross between Peter Pan and the Xmen, is endangered because of urbanisation in Mexico City and polluted waters

‘For too long the cute and fluffy animals have taken the limelight but now the blobfish will be a voice for the mingers who always get forgotten.’

The blobfish topped a shortlist of five ugly animals voted for online by members of the public.

In second place was the Kakapo, a critically endangered giant parrot from New Zealand, and number three was the Axolotl, a weird type of salamander from Mexico that is the equivalent of a giant tadpole.

Next on the list was the Titicaca water frog, aka the ‘scrotum frog’, which is only found in Lake Titicaca on the border of Peru and Bolivia.

The Titicaca frog, also known as the ‘scrotum frog’, is found on the border of Peru and Bolivia. Locals make a frappe of the frog, which is considered an aphrodisiac, by cooking it and running it through a blender

Kakapo is a classic example of evolution on an isolated island – it is the only flightless parrot in the world, and also the heaviest

The Proboscis monkey is named after its enormous nose

Locals make a frappe of the unfortunate frog, which is considered an aphrodisiac, by cooking it and running it through a blender.

The last ugly animal is the proboscis monkey, from Borneo, whose enormous nose is literally its hooter.

The nose provides a resonating echo chamber for the monkey’s deafening mating calls.

The Ugly Animal Preservation Society was set up to champion the cause of endangered creatures with no friends.

It is backed by a number of celebrity scientists, presenters and comedians, and organises road shows and school visits.

Particle physicist and broadcaster Professor Brian Cox said: ‘I support the ugly animal campaign. There are too many people trying to save cute animals. They get all the press, and all the attention.

‘Ugly animals are more deserving than cute animals.’

Describing the blobfish, Mr Watt said: ‘Indeed this is an ugly hideous thing. It looks sad and so it should, because it’s suffering from severe problems.

‘They’ve got a really gelatinous flesh that is slightly more buoyant than the water. So they float around and they can be right lazy.

‘They’ve got no muscle tone whatsoever because they don’t have to move. They just sit there looking unhappy, grabbing any food that comes by.

‘It’s the ultimate deep sea couch potato.’

MORE OF THE WORLD’S UGLIEST ANIMALS

European common eel

A favourite cockney snack, the European eel is threatened by overfishing and environmental changes. Its unusual life cycle sees it change colour as it grows, from transparent to yellow to dark grey.

Rob Wells (comedian and science presenter) – urges supporters to ‘support the eel so we can have a jolly good East End knees up in its honour!’

European common eel: A favourite cockney snack, the European eel is threatened by overfishing and environmental changes. Its unusual life cycle sees it change colour as it grows, from transparent to yellow to dark grey

Dromedary jumping slug

The dromedary jumping slug wriggles its way out of danger, avoiding predators with a quick flick. It’s part of the Aronidae family and lives mainly in the Americas.

Tom Toal (comedian and actor) thinks the slug deserves far more recognition than it currently gets… ‘It’s a slug, with a hump on its back, that can jump! Where’s its Disney movie?? You’ve got the Hunchback of Notre Dame… where’s the dromedary jumping slug and the princess?’

Dromedary jumping slug: The dromedary jumping slug wriggles its way out of danger, avoiding predators with a quick flick. It’s part of the Aronidae family and lives mainly in the Americas

Greater short-horned lizard

Stephen Fry is supporting this feisty little lizard, found in North America. The greater short-horned lizard is identified by its toad-like appearance. When scared, it builds its blood pressure near its eyes, and forces blood through its tear ducts, squirting it at predators. Combined with a noxious smell, the blood is a surprisingly effective method of repelling predators such as foxes, coyotes and dogs.

Great short horned lizard: Stephen Fry is supporting this feisty little lizard, found in North America. The greater short-horned lizard is identified by its toad-like appearance

Pig-nosed turtle

The pig-nosed turtle is the sole surviving member of an ancient and once widespread family of animals. The most unique feature is the elongated, pig-like snout, which acts like a snorkel, allowing the turtle to breathe while the rest of the body remains underwater (perhaps so it never has to show the world its ugly face?).

Greg Foot (daredevil scientist and C4 Sunday Brunch’s ‘resident scientist’) says: ‘Forget your big cuddly attention grabbing pandas. It’s time for something else to step up into the limelight, well, I guess something to swim up in this case! Yes, it is the pig-nosed turtle… so there you go – the pig-nosed turtle. Vote now! It’s quite clear it’s got to be the pig-nosed turtle. No longer does he need to be bullied in the animal playground, he can now stand there with his piggy snouty nose raised up high.’

Pig-nosed turtle: The most unique feature of the animal is the elongated, pig-like snout, which acts like a snorkel, allowing the turtle to breathe while the rest of the body remains underwater

Pubic lice

Pubic lice have been around for over 3 million years but face extinction because of increasing hygiene habits across the world. They live in coarse hair and eyelashes.

Dan Schreiber (producer, presenter and from QI Elf) explains why he has sympathy for these particularly unattractive beasts… ‘So many women worldwide are having Brazilians that they don’t have a natural habitat to exist on anymore… they’re being deforested!’

Pubic louse: Pubic lice have been around for over 3 million years but face extinction because of increasing hygiene habits across the world. They live in coarse hair and eyelashes

British bats

There are 18 varieties of bat in the UK, and most are in national decline. Seventeen of these are currently known to be breeding, the eighteenth is actually just one lone male who appears to have come over from the continent and lives in a cave in South England on his own.  Bats make up over a quarter of the mammal species that live in the UK and can often be found near railway lines, as they like to use the tunnels as roosting areas, and short cuts to other hunting grounds.

Simon Watt sympathises with these species: ‘Bats are brilliant, if you cannot see all the reasons British bats are fantastic, you must be as blind as a, well, as a bat actually!’

Simon Watt sympathises with these species: ‘Bats are brilliant, if you cannot see all the reasons British bats are fantastic, you must be as blind as a, well, as a bat actually!’

It’s no wonder he looks grumpy: ‘Hideous’ blobfish is crowned the world’s ugliest animal | Mail Online

Lion cub causes uproar by chomping on its dad in a bid to make him play

 

You’ve bitten off more than you can chew! Lion cub causes uproar… by chomping on its dad in a bid to make him play

This is the moment an attention seeking cub annoyed his father once too often.

The cheeky cub can be seen tugging on his father’s mane, chewing on his fur and even smacking him on the end of the nose in a bid to entice him to play.

But while the father initially returned his son’s affections, he soon lost patience with the playful cub and snapped – baring his teeth at the startled cub.

I warned you, boy… Luke the lion makes it clear he has had enough of his son’s fun and games

The images were taken by photographer Paul Sutherland, 54, at the National Zoological Park in Washington, Columbia, US.

He said: ‘I’m connected with a number of people at the zoo and they invited me to come along when the lion cubs were born.

‘Having been an editorial photographer I like to create images which tell a story or send a message.

‘I spent a lot of time photographing the cubs, I went whenever I could. Every time the cubs came out there was a question mark over what they would do.

The cheeky cub can be seen tugging on his father’s mane, chewing on his fur and even smacking him on the end of the nose

So much for my lie-in: Luke’s nap is a no-no as far as the youngster is concerned

Seriously, son, take the hint: Luke looks like he is enjoying a cuddle…but that out-stretched paw is getting ready to swipe

‘When the adult male lion, Luke, is in the yard the cubs come out with the female lions.

‘Interestingly many of the cubs head straight for dad, they’re like "hey dad look at me".

‘The cubs would jump on Luke to try and get his attention, just being playful really.

‘But if Luke is grumpy he’ll roar and as he does the mother lion gives him a telling off. He’s a bit of a wimp compared to other lions so if he gets a telling off he’ll tolerate the cubs a little longer.

‘They would get five to ten minutes’ interaction with dad before he would get tired and there’d be a roar.

‘And if one of the cubs would make the mistake of grabbing his tail, Luke would get really angry.

‘It’s really just nature in action. Humans do it too. You annoy your dad that much, he’ll snap and be like "that’s enough".’

Right, that’s it! The cub takes a bite out of Luke’s chin… and he’s not happy about it

Fine, I’ll leave you alone! The cub retreats to safety… still with a look of mischief about it

Lion cub causes uproar by chomping on its dad in a bid to make him play | Mail Online

Wimbledon – Murray tames Djokovic to end 77 years of British hurt

 

Wimbledon – Murray tames Djokovic to end 77 years of British hurt

Andy Murray ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s Wimbledon champion with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 win over world number one Novak Djokovic.

Eurosport – 37 minutes ago

• 

  Eurosport – Andy Murray lifts the Wimbledon trophy (Getty Images)

• 

  Tennis Photo

 

Scotland’s world number two unsettled Serbia’s 2011 champion Djokovic from an epic opening game, coming back from breaks down in the second and third sets, before fending off a brave fightback while serving for the match as he claimed his finest career victory.

Murray won last year’s US Open to end what was then a 76-year wait for a British male Grand Slam champion; he is now the first Briton of either gender to win Wimbledon since Virginia Wade in 1977, and the first male since Fred Perry in 1936.

"It feels slightly different to last year," Murray said in reference to his tearful defeat in the 2012 final. "I don’t know how I managed to get through that last game – losing three match points was unbelievable. It was hard to watch but imagine playing it!

"Novak has come back so many times from similar positions and he almost did it again."

The beaten world number one was typically sportsmanlike at the trophy presentation.

"Congratulations to Andy, who absolutely deserved this win – you played incredible tennis," Djokovic said. "I know how much it means to all of you guys, the whole country, well done.

"I’m aware of the pressure he gets, although I cannot imagine the extent not being in his shoes.

"It was an absolute pleasure and an honour to be part of this final."

Murray was exceptional at times but, by contrast, Djokovic had one of his worst games on Centre Court.

On the hottest day of the year in Britain, with the mercury soaring toward 30 degrees Celsius, the world’s two best players produced some scorching sinew-stretching action from the start and the first three games alone lasted 20 minutes.

The opening salvo of the Centre Court clash lasted 20 strokes as Murray went up 0-40 on the Serb’s serve but Djokovic produced staunch defence to stave off his opponent’s attack.

The duo did trade breaks in the third and fourth games, with each Murray winner being greeted by a chorus of 15,000 roars.

Second seed Murray got another chance to break to love in the seventh game and this time he pounced as the 2011 champion surrendered his serve by slapping a backhand into the net.

A set that initially looked like lasting forever ended exactly on the hour mark as Djokovic whipped a service return wide to give Murray, runner-up to Roger Federer last year, the one-set cushion.

The battle between the two players who were born seven days apart in 1987 intensified in the second set as they went toe-to-toe from the baseline with 25-shot rallies being par for the course.

Djokovic, who survived a four hour 43 minute semi-final epic against Juan Martin Del Potro two days ago, showed his super-human ability to recover quickly as he ran down everything Murray could throw at him.

The Serb rattled Murray by going for the lines and broke for a 3-1 lead when Olympic champion Murray flicked a forehand into the net.

Even when Djokovic slipped and skidded flat on to his stomach while trying to chase down a Murray winner, the six-times Grand Slam champion appeared unfazed as he quickly got back on to his feet to extend his lead to 4-1.

But Murray, who trains in the intense Miami heat, showed off his iron-man conditioning as he stormed back to level at 4-4, a Djokovic double fault on break point down handing him the break back in the seventh game.

While the cheering crowd, which included British Prime Minister David Cameron, got behind a pumped up Murray, Djokovic simply exploded in anger in the 11th game.

Convinced that Murray had gone long mid-rally at 15-15, he screamed at umpire Mohamed Lahyani "Why? What’s going on?" as he gesticulated wildly to show what he thought the linesman had failed to see.

Murray ignored the uproar to break the fuming Serb and soon had the fans roaring when he wrapped up the 69-minute second set with a 125mph thunderbolt ace.

The third set initially seemed a formality for Murray, who broke Djokovic early and almost sealed a double-break.

But two sloppy drop shots allowed the Serb to break back, with a rejuvenated Djokovic holding before winning the subsequent Murray service game as the Briton seemed to lose momentum.

Murray, however, has incredible mental and physical reserves and cancelled out that break with some intense hustling at the net, bringing it back with serve, which he held with a wonderful diving forehand off the baseline.

That was followed by a magnificent break for Murray, which boasted two astounding last-gasp winners, leaving him serving for the title.

Initially Djokovic saved three championship points as a nervy Murray’s serve deserted him, and the Serb even had three break-back points thanks to an unforced error to net from the Briton, a wonderful drop-shot off the net-cord and then a beautiful diving winner across the net.

But Murray saved them all, bringing up his fourth match point with some incredible fight at the baseline, his forehand pass forcing Djokovic to net a volley.

And, after his next serve was returned just inside the baseline, Murray was a spectator as Djokovic netted the follow up, sending Centre Court and an entire nation into raptures.

Wimbledon – Murray tames Djokovic to end 77 years of British hurt – Yahoo! Eurosport UK

Nice work Pippa, but you forgot to mention Wimbledon’s big four

 

Nice work Pippa, but you forgot to mention Wimbledon’s big four

It is a brave pundit who attempts to follow the doyenne. In her guide to Wimbledon, published in Vanity Fair magazine, Pippa Middleton barely hits a bum note.

What observation, what perspicacity, what insight the future Queen’s sister offers up in her insider’s guide to what to look out for at the All England Club.

Take a raincoat, she suggests. Don’t plan dinner afterwards because matches sometimes go on late into the evening and there is apparently nothing worse in the human condition than missing Rafa Nadal in action because you’ve booked for a routine pizza with friends.

Do join in the Mexican wave (it’s such fun). And for goodness sake don’t wear stilettos: the walk from the tube is almost twenty minutes. Remember that, lads.

Thanks Pippa. Not a lot left for anyone else to consider after that. Though, to be fair – perhaps out of deference to friends and family – she leaves it to others to point out that the Centre Court crowd invariably features the year’s biggest gathering of those who have enjoyed the services of a cosmetic surgeon.

The ladies who lunch there (or if they follow Pippa’s advice take a cream tea with strawberries – seriously strawberries at Wimbledon, who’d have thought it until Pippa suggested the idea?) appear to do so only after an appointment in a nearby wind tunnel.

Also missing from her list is any observation about the centre court “oof”, the collective groan of disapproval when a player misses a winnable shot. This is the most dispiriting sound in world sport, a grumbly ticking off that makes the New Den greeting the arrival of West Ham sound positively encouraging.

But then Pippa isn’t one for miserablism. She loves her Wimbledon. She has been going since she was a tomboy, her appearance there an annual event long before the paparazzi picked her out in the stands quite coincidentally wearing a see-through dress.

And when Pippa takes her place in the royal box this year (no queuing up for tickets for People’s Sunday liked she used to now she has contacts) she could well be in for a treat.

This has the potential of being the best Wimbledon in a generation, certainly the best she will have seen in her twenty-odd years of unbroken attendance.

Never before – in the men’s game at least – has there been such an array of talent on show. Never before has it been so difficult to predict a winner.

When Rafa Nadal – fresh from quite astonishing triumph in the French Open – is seeded number five there is a clue to the excellence that will be on display.

Actually the very fact Nadal is going to be at Wimbledon fit and firing is cause for celebration. Last year, as he was knocked out by Lukas Rosol, the Czech world number 100, he was clearly struggling with the accumulated wear and tear of playing the power game.

But, as he proved in Paris, the muscular Spaniard is now back on form, fishing his knickers out of his crack with something approaching his old aplomb.

Novak Djokovic, the number one seed, too is as imperious as ever, an indefatigable combination of skill and refusal to yield. And it would be a foolish punter who writes off Roger Federer, a man who takes enormous enjoyment from circumventing the debilitations of time.

Sure, at 31, the clock is ticking on the elegant champion’s continuing mastery of centre court. Sure at times this season he has looked forlorn in defeat. But he loves Wimbledon almost as much as Pippa does. And the evidence of his first tournament win of the season last week is that his grass game is showing little sign yet of giving way to chronology.

Then there is Andy Murray. In truth, while his supporters have long talked about the big four of the men’s game, Murray has only recently joined the quartet.

Until last year, it was really only a big three and a half, Murray’s achievements to that point meant he belonged in the elite solely in the mind of British tennis writers and his mum.

Last year, however, changed all that. The Wimbledon final, Olympic gold and a win at the US Open signalled his accession to the very top of the game.

After missing the French Open with injury, he was simply brilliant at Queen’s, combining solid ground strokes with a flourish of eye-catching winners that were at times breath-taking.

He looked fitter than ever, strong, resourceful and canny. As John McEnroe suggested, he looked ready to fulfil his destiny. There can be no doubting he is now the real thing.

What this represents is Wimbledon’s perfect storm of talent, the four of them arriving together, ready to provide the finest competitive hoedown in the competition’s history.

And, given the fleeting nature of sporting prowess, this first gathering of the quartet coinciding in absolutely top form, might be the last. Hang on to your flats, Pippa: this could be the year Wimbledon blows your socks off.

Nice work Pippa, but you forgot to mention Wimbledon’s big four | Jim White – Yahoo! Eurosport UK

Asteroid 1998 QE2: Giant Rock Passes Earth – Yahoo! News UK

 

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                                Asteroid 1998 QE2: Giant Rock Passes Earth

Life across the globe is hurtling towards a close encounter with the planet.

The giant rock, named Asteroid 1998 QE2, will make its closest approach to Earth later tonight.

Although it will keep a safe distance of 3.6 million miles – roughly 15 times the distance between Earth and the Moon – the 1.7-mile long object is of great interest to astronomers.

Using powerful telescopes, they should be able to glimpse the asteroid’s very own moon and observe some of the space rock’s surface features.

Martin Archer, a space plasma physicist, warned that if the asteroid were to strike, "it would certainly have implications for life on Earth on a global scale".

"It would flatten everything within 200 miles and cause damage within 1,000 miles but a lot of dust would be released into the atmosphere, blocking the Sun," he said.

"It could certainly cause extinction for certain species.

"However, this is by no means the closest near-Earth object we’ve seen. We had one a couple of months ago that was well within our geostationary satellites.

"We certainly don’t have to worry about this one at all."

Radar astronomer Lance Benner, who is based at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said scientists expect to obtain a series of high-resolution images of the asteroid as it skims past Earth.

He said: "Whenever an asteroid approaches this closely, it provides an important scientific opportunity to study it in detail to understand its size, shape, rotation, surface features, and what they can tell us about its origin.

"We will also use new radar measurements of the asteroid’s distance and velocity to improve our calculation of its orbit and compute its motion farther into the future than we could otherwise."

Mr Archer said scientists are yet to discover every object that could one day pose a risk to life on Earth.

However, Alan Fitzsimmons, of the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, told Sky News that asteroid strikes are rare.

"Luckily objects of this size or larger only hit us about once every four million years," he said.

"Radar observations of 1998 QE2 will let us check it’s not coming near us for a long time to come."

Asteroid 1998 QE2: Giant Rock Passes Earth – Yahoo! News UK