A baby rhino has been safely delivered at a Scottish safari park after a webcam viewer in Cyprus spotted that its mother's waters had broken and alerted staff. ...
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A pensioner has been awarded judo's highest rank – one of only seven living people in the world to hold the honour. ...
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A giant panda who became a star attraction at a zoo in the United States is to be resettled in his native China to help save his species. ...
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Men sometimes find it hard to talk about their feelings but a special conference will urge them to have their say on meeting the health needs of the male population. Mind and Men's Health Forum are staging the day at Reading University on March 30...
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A 14-year old New Zealand girl has been praised for fighting off a shark with her boogie board after it had bitten her. ...
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In a huge breakthrough, scientists have been able to communicate with a brain damaged man, diagnosed as being in a vegetative state. ...
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Sun worshippers are often told the risks of sunbathing, but here's some good news for those who enjoy soaking up a few rays – it could boost your sex life. ...
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He describes himself as "part athlete, part adventurer, part charitable machine" – he might also say "part bonkers". But there's no doubting Dan Martin's good intentions as he attempts to become the first man in history to swim the Atlantic....
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A new government strategy aims to halve the number of smokers, from 21 to 10 per cent of the population by 2020. ...
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The economy may have been sagging but the nation still found ways to remain uplifted during 2009, according to the latest audit figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. ...
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He's shown a compassion and sense of fun that would have made his mother proud. Certainly Prince Harry revealed plenty of Diana's spirit by raising funds for Haiti with a sponsored dance performance. ...
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People aged between 70 and 79 could be offered protection against shingles for the first time as a vaccination programme moves a step closer. ...
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A British conservationist has been honoured for her work in Cambodia , which has resulted in increased protection of forested areasand the re-discovery of a crocodile species thought to be extinct inthe wild. ...
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Young people from Hackney and the four other Olympic host boroughs in London will have the chance to showcase their talents onstage at the prestigious Hackney Empire this Sunday before the venue closes for the next nine months. ...
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A young environmental campaigner is reaching a huge global audience with his account of his positive experience at the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen. ...
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They have long been a part of British life, traditionally found on street corners up and down the land. But sadly for all those who enjoy propping up the bar, pub closures have accelerated to one every three hours. ...
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Whether dissecting owl pellets or making natural dyes from vegetation, a creative group of children from Cambridgeshire have been making a real difference to the wildlife around them – and now they've been recognised with a special award. ...
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It’s been an inspiring, humbling and very proud journey but finally after many months we can reveal the winners of the Optimist Charity Awards 2009/10. ...
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He's faced serious arthritis, heart disease, depression, family estrangements and a battle with alcohol. But as an American businessman in his eighties, Al Weatherhead is a survivor and knows how to overcome the tough times. ...
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It's a disease which kills a million people a year. But there's some encouraging news today from Microsoft founder Bill Gates who says he believes a vaccine could be just three years away. ...
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A seven-year-old boy has raised an incredible sum of now over £80,000 for the victims of the Haiti earthquake by cycling around hislocal park. ...
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Health campaigners will welcome news that retailers have curbed promotions on alcoholic drinks - cutting the number of deals by 15% and upping alcohol prices by 4%. ...
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International hotel chain Holiday Inn is offering a trial human bed-warming service at three hotels in Britain this month. ...
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Here's something to make you 'open your mouth wide' and smile about. New plasma technology could replace the uncomfortable and - for some – terrifying dentist's drill. ...
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X Factor supremo Simon Cowell has secured the talents of Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, JLS and Michael Buble for the recording of a charity single to aid the victims of the Haiti earthquake. ...
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The UK film industry is weathering the recession well, with record box office figures and UK independent films at their most popular for a decade, a new report shows. ...
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Boyzone say they will pay tribute to the memory of their former bandmate Stephen Gately and look positively to the future by releasing anew single that features some of his last recorded vocals. ...
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Classical music can be an effective deterrent against unruly behaviour, a school head teacher has revealed. ...
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Many couples across the UK could be hearing the patter of tiny feet in nine months' time, with the Big Freeze leading to a baby boom. ...
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It's said that a man's best friend is his dog. And for Phil Carpenter that's proved to be true. His loyal dog Benji has been helping him prepare for the challenge of a lifetime. ...
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Polar bear droppings are helping scientists shed light on the spread of deadly antibiotic-resistant superbugs. ...
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Get pouting girls! Latest research suggests that women who have fuller and firmer lips are seen as younger than they really are. ...
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If you've been wrapping up during The Big Freeze, spare a thought for the hundreds of daring Brits who've bravely been baring all in the snow for a Facebook challenge. ...
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Biologists are celebrating the discovery of a new species of bird, the spectacled flowerpecker, in the rainforests of Borneo. Richard Webster from Leeds University spotted the bird from a canopy walkway 35m above ground. ...
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The big freeze may be causing havoc for many, but it could benefit millions of garden ponds across the UK, according to conservation experts. ...
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RSPCA staff who were struggling to make a dog understand basic commands are able to communicate with him after realising he only knows Polish. ...
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It's the coldest time of the year for many, but that hasn't stopped thousands of people across the world taking part in the annual No Pants Subway Ride, which sees commuters discarding trousers and skirts for a breezy journey to work. ...
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Drinking green tea could offer some protection against lung cancer, according to the results of a hospital-based study in Taiwan. ...
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It will no doubt be viewed as a miracle by his loved ones – a man who was thought to have passed away following a motoring accident in India woke up on the autopsy table at the start of a post mortem. ...
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People with bipolar disorder are less likely to suffer a relapse if they take a combination of medication, a new OxfordUniversity study has found. ...
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You can express love in many ways - and a farmer from Iowa has found his way of declaring his love for his wife, using over 50 tonnes of manure to write his wife a birthday message. ...
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He is not known for being the most of humble of men but American Idol judge Simon Cowell modestly says the huge US show "will flourish" whether or not he stays in the job. ...
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Blind and visually impaired adults are being given the chance to create and experience photographs using senses other than sight. Sensory photography techniques are opening up communication for them with the seeing world. ...
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You can't have too much of a good thing it seems - just ask the residents of an Arab-Israeli village near Jerusalem who have launched a bid to make the world's largest hummus dish. ...
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Against all odds, a tiny otter cub found lying by the roadside in Aberdeenshire has survived and is expected to be returned to the wild. ...
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An eco-conscious couple in Taiwan has opened a small schoolhouse built with donated newspapers fed through a homemade blender. ...
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Thinking about getting back to the gym this New Year? A new German study suggests it won't just get you in shape, it can guard against ageing too at a cellular level. ...
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So 2010 is here. Are you jumping for the joy or easing yourself reluctantly into the New Year? If it's your first day back at work, then it's probably the latter – but rest assured that Optimist World will be with you throughout the year, to brigh...
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Campaigners are celebrating after the US Government lifted a ban on people with HIV/AIDS entering the States. From today, US regulations remove HIV from the list of "communicable diseases of public health significance. ...
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South Gloucestershire couple Brenda and Richard Luton have celebrated New Year's Eve, by making a romantic return trip to the place where it all began - the Bristol hotel where they first met fifty years ago. ...
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Scientists believe they have discovered the perfect ratio forwomen's facial beauty. The distance between a woman's eyes and thedistance between her eyes and her mouth are key factors in determininghow attractive she is to others. ...
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A family from Middlesborough is beginning 2010 on a truly optimistic note - they're celebrating after being told they can take home their baby son following a life-saving heart transplant.
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HE is a true Christmas hero. For thousands of people caught in snow chaos, getting home safely was the priority in the treacherous conditions. But one Southampton man went beyond his call of duty to help save lives. ...
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Four of the world's last known remaining eight northern white rhinos will be relocated from captivity back to the wild, thanks to the collaborative efforts of a consortium of conservation organisations. ...
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Health officials in New York are urging the city's residents to give its NYC Condom a new look. ...
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They have something of a reputation and may seem the most unlikely of animals to teach toilet etiquette. But, believe it or not, pigs are being potty-trained by farmers in southern Taiwan to reduce pollution. ...
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It's the season of goodwill to all men but perhaps you can't blame people still wanting to vent their anger over bankers and the recent outcry over huge payouts. Certainly business is booming for a new arcade game that allows them to do just that....
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It may sound like monkey business, but a dating agency-style conservation project is helping to reintroduce once captive apes into the forests of southeast Asia. ...
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Scientists have identified a gene that could be responsible for mental illness. Researchers have found that the gene - called ABCA13 - is partially inactive in patients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depre...
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They would look as white as usual sheep - but green in every other way and be very polite too. Australian scientists hope to breed sheep that burp less as part of efforts to tackle climate change. ...
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Thousands of people are expected to parade through the streets of London for The Wave - billed as the UK's biggest ever demonstration in support of action on climate change.
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Levels of happiness could help shape economic policy in the industrialised world in the same way such factors have gained prominence in developing countries, said economics Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
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The ancient herbal remedy of Brazilian mint has been shown to be as effective at relieving pain as an aspirin-style drug, Newcastle University scientists have found.
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Annie Lennox has been presented with the Woman of Peace Award by former Soviet President and 1990 Nobel Peace Laureate Mikhail Gorbachev at the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Berlin. ...
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Here's one for the green-fingered among you. Bizarre as it may seem, gardeners at a National Trust property are urging the country to join them in peeing outdoors to help UK gardens grow greener. ...
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A T-shirt a day has kept unemployment at bay for an American man who is making about $85,000 a year by selling advertising space on his torso. ...
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