In a helmet emblazoned with the emblem of Russia and reaching a speed of 240 kilometres an hour, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday burned rubber on a racing circuit in a Formula One car.
The high-speed session was the latest in a series of widely publicised hardman outings for Mr Putin as he seeks to cement his image as the Russian strongman ahead of the 2012 elections.
It was also aimed at raising the profile of the sport in Russia as the country prepares to host its first Formula One Grand Prix from 2014 in Sochi, under a plan championed by Mr Putin.
“For a first time, it was good,” the Prime Minister, unusually using English, told a senior Renault mechanic. A government statement said he spent several hours performing laps. (AFP)
Sleeping apart ‘rekindles romance’
Sleeping apart, rather than together, may be the key to securing sweet dreams that are otherwise rudely interrupted by a mate’s restless limbs, snoring, muttering, and other annoying bedtime habits, a study found.
Of the 4,000 British couples who took part in the One Poll survey, 75 per cent said their sleep was disturbed by their partner snoring. Other annoying nocturnal habits included muttering, mumbling, moaning and tossing and turning, the Bedtime Etiquette survey found.
The stealing of bedcovers was a problem for 58 per cent of couples, while one in three complained about their partner talking out loud in their sleep.
A solution is for couples to sleep apart, as “a good night’s sleep not only revives the body, but also rekindles the romance by making it feel as though you are dating again”, Ms Dawson added. (PA)
Giving it all away – or almost
An elderly Canadian couple have become beloved instant stars after winning more than $11 million on the lottery – and then quietly giving almost all of it away.
Violet and Allen Large, who live in a modest home in Lower Turo, Nova Scotia, scooped the jackpot in July. But believing they already had everything they needed, they have been distributing the cash among charities, keeping only about $200,000 in case of a rainy day.
The couple drew up a list of worthy causes, starting with their families and then adding hospitals, fire services, churches, cemeteries and charity groups, and sending off cheques in the mail.
“Money cannot buy happiness,” said Allen Large, 75, a former welder. His wife has been battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatment but she said she feels lucky as it did not make her nauseous. (AFP)
Anti-knife campaigner DJ Ironik stabbed
Rapper and anti-knife campaigner DJ Ironik was yesterday recovering after being stabbed by attackers who robbed him of his jewellery.
The 22-year-old musician was attacked by two men in hooded tops in the early hours of Saturday morning in Highgate, London.
Ironik received a knife wound to the buttock during the attack and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Recuperating yesterday, he thanked fans for their support via his Twitter feed, adding: “It could have been much worse.”
The rapper was returning from a gig in Essex at the time of the incident.
Arriving home at around 3.30 a.m., he was approached by the pair, wearing dark clothes including hooded tops. After stabbing Ironik, the assailants fled with jewellery belonging to the rapper. (PA)
Baby koala in gun attack
Veterinarians are fighting to save the life of a baby koala who was shot by an unknown assailant in eastern Australia.
The 16-month-old female koala, nicknamed Frodo, was to undergo surgery late yesterday to remove some of 15 shotgun pellets that hit the animal.
Queensland state Sustainability Minister Kate Jones condemned the attack as “sick and cruel” and warned that the person responsible could face a two-year prison term and big fines if caught and convicted under conservation laws.
Veterinarians successfully removed three pellets during an earlier surgery but the animal’s condition was too delicate to continue. (AP)
Wife serenades Russia’s Nato envoy
While Russia’s ambassador to Nato deals with issues of war and peace every day, his wife Tatiana Rogozina can be found on YouTube serenading her husband about “making love”.
In the 3.55-minute clip, Mrs Rogozina sings and dances to a song titled Stay Forever! by the swimming pool of the couple’s residence in Brussels under autumn leaves.
“I know what you want, and I know what you think, making love to me is like having a good drink,” sings Tatiana, who is wearing a black leather jacket and jeans as the Russian flag flaps in the wind on the side of the house. (AFP)