Friday, September 30, 2011

The London Riots 1381: The blood-soaked uprising which changed the face of England forever

They make for a rag-tag army. One of them is an elderly shepherd armed with nothing more deadly than his crook, another is a young boy who clings for protection to the drum with which he has bravely set the pace of their advance.
Nearby, a fierce-looking youth is spattered with blood from the severed head he carries on top of a long pole.
Others brandish the flaming torches with which they have set London ablaze, and in front of them stands a  thick-set brute, his face glistening with sweat from the battles recently won and his sword drawn ready for those that lie ahead.
Rag-tag army: The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was the uprising that 
saw tens of thousands of England's poorest countrymen come close to 
overthrowing the establishment
Rag-tag army: The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was the uprising that saw tens of thousands of England's poorest countrymen come close to overthrowing the establishment
It is this man, Wat Tyler, whose name will go down in history. As leader of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, he will be remembered for the uprising that saw tens of thousands of his poorest countrymen come close to overthrowing the establishment.

 Until now, we have had only the illustrations in history books to help  us picture their struggle. But thanks  to the work of British photographer  Red Saunders, we can come closer than ever to appreciating their deadly determination.
Thick-set brute: Wat Tyler stands in front of the mob, his face 
glistening with sweat from the battles recently won and his sword drawn 
ready for those that lie ahead
Thick-set brute: Wat Tyler stands in front of the mob, his face glistening with sweat from the battles recently won and his sword drawn ready for those that lie ahead
Saunders specialises in photographing huge tableaux vivants, living pictures in which dozens of actors recreate key moments in British history.
His latest creations, showcased in a new exhibition in Bradford, include this depiction of the Peasants’ Revolt, and it offers many fascinating insights into why the uprising happened — and why it took the bloody course that it did.
The first lies in the extraordinary array of weapons featured in the photograph. Alongside the swords and pikes, whose steel glints in the fiery glow over London, we see pick-axes, pitchforks and scythes more usually wielded on farms, but put to lethal new use as implements of death.
This reminds us that the insurgents were not political saboteurs, but ordinary men and women, usually content to fight only the elements as they struggled to make a living from the land, but driven to mutiny and murder by the actions of their over-bearing and greedy rulers.
Just 30 years previously, the Black Death had killed a third of the population — which then numbered between two and three million.
Many of those depicted in the photograph will have lost family or friends to a catastrophe unimaginable by modern standards.
Though it would not have helped these peasants in their grief, there was one ‘benefit’ of this sudden cull of much of the nation’s workforce. With fewer labourers to work the land, demand for their services was all  the higher.
Their wages should have risen accordingly, but in the years leading up to the Peasants’ Revolt a series of statutes were introduced imposing an ungenerous limit on the wages farm labourers could be paid.
On top of this were the frustrations  of serfdom, the centuries-old practice by which some peasants were still forced to work part of the time free of charge for their rich and powerful landlords.
And then there was the introduction of a series of poll taxes to help fund the latest wars with France.
Everyone had to pay a shilling — a pittance for the ruling classes, but a significant amount for those bound to them in serfdom.
As if this was not provocative enough, the commissioners sent out to enforce these payments often abused their power, particularly when it came to investigating whether young girls in a household were over 15, the age at which the poll tax became payable.
Frightened girls were forced to lift their skirts while these officials examined them for signs of maturity and sexual experience. If a girl was no longer a virgin, she was deemed old enough to pay the poll tax, whether she had reached 15 or not.
Such outrages fomented public opinion, and matters appear to have reached a tipping point in May 1381, following the visit of a tax collector to the Essex village of Fobbing.
Fascinating insight: Just 30 years previously, the Black Death had
 killed a third of the population. Many of those depicted in the 
photograph will have lost family or friends to the catastrophe
Fascinating insight: Just 30 years previously, the Black Death had
 killed a third of the population. Many of those depicted in the 
photograph will have lost family or friends to the catastrophe
Fascinating insight: Just 30 years previously, the Black Death killed a third of the population. Many of those in the image will have lost family or friends to the catastrophe
The residents took great umbrage at his presence and threw him out, later giving the same treatment to soldiers sent to re-establish law and order by the 14-year-old Richard II.
Unrest spread quickly throughout the South-East. The following month, a group of men marched on Rochester Castle in Kent and freed a man imprisoned for refusing to work as a serf.
They were led by Wat Tyler, a man we know little about except that, as his name suggests, he may have been a roofer by trade.
The efficiency with which he led his forces suggests he had experience as a soldier, perhaps as part of a militia raised by the local lord to join in the war against France.
Deadly: As the drunken in this part of the image suggests, some of
 the rebels liked a drink. A few were burnt to death when they became 
too inebriated to escape fire
Deadly: As the drunken in this part of the image suggests, some of the rebels liked a drink. A few were burnt to death when they became too inebriated to escape fire
Soon there were two great  peasant armies marching on London — one led by Tyler, the other a  contingent from Essex under the command of a man called Jack Straw, most likely a thatcher.
Many thousands in number, their ranks included trained soldiers, as suggested by the photograph, but there were many civilians, too, including those like the blood-smeared blacksmith seen on Wat Tyler’s right, the understandably fearful-looking shepherd next to the drummer boy, and the young farmhand placing a protective arm around his pregnant wife, who is presumably a camp follower.
In the words of medieval poet John Gower: ‘Savage hordes approached the city like waves of the sea/At their head a peasant captain urged the madmen on/With cruel eagerness for slaughter, he shouted: “Burn and Kill.” ’
En route, they destroyed many tax records and registers, and beheaded several tax officials who tried to stop them.
Their march must have been a  terrifying prospect for the nation’s rulers, but it’s important to understand these people were not rising up against the young King. They were patriots, as suggested by the flag of St George on the right of the photograph.
Indeed, the Kent contingent gave instructions that no one living within ten miles of the South Coast was allowed to join them because these men were needed to repel any French invaders who might take advantage of their absence.
Their argument was with the King’s advisers and, with the help of Londoners who opened the gates of the city for them, they began their attacks on those they believed responsible for their oppression.
Along the way, their targets included many lawyers, as representatives of the judicial system that had kept peasants in serfdom and wages low — it is perhaps one of these unfortunates whose head is being paraded so proudly by the rebels in the photograph.
Soon they reached their ultimate prize, the Palace of Savoy, the  official residence of John of Gaunt, the King’s uncle and the real power behind the throne.
It is this great fortress — where the Savoy hotel stands today — that can be seen burning in the picture.
Luckily for John of Gaunt, he was away at the time, dealing with border disputes in Scotland, for he would almost certainly have been executed, too.
As it was, his palace was virtually destroyed though not, it’s interesting to note, looted.
As the drunken man to the right of the photograph suggests, some of the rebels liked a drink. A few of them were burnt to death when they invaded the palace’s wine  cellar and became too inebriated to escape the flames from a fire started by their fellow peasants.
But when another raider stole a piece of silver from the treasury and tried to hide it, his companions threw both it and him into the fire, saying they were lovers of truth and justice, not thieves.
The sack of the Savoy Palace must have been an electrifying moment for the rebels. Soon they went on to storm the Tower of London, seizing and beheading the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prior of St John’s, Clerkenwell.
This was not because these two unfortunates were churchmen, but because they held high political office, being the equivalent of the prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer today.
Historical 'evidence': Leveller Women in the English Revolution, 
1647 is one of Red Saunders' 'tableaux vivants' which recreates famous -
 and not so famous - scenes from the past
Historical 'evidence': Leveller Women in the English Revolution, 1647 is another of Red Saunders' 'tableaux vivants' which recreates famous - and not so famous - scenes from the past
To avoid further trouble, the King agreed to meet Tyler in Smithfield, just outside the eastern city walls.
Whether or not this was a deliberate trap has been debated ever since, but during the meeting the Mayor of London, outraged by Tyler’s demands and his arrogant manner when talking to the King, drew his dagger and stabbed him in the neck.
The rebel leader was taken to St Barts hospital but, on the Mayor’s orders, he was dragged from his bed and beheaded.
Suddenly, the revolt was over, just a few days after it began, and 150 of the protesters were later hanged for treason.
Race relations: William Cuffay and the London Chartists, 1842, 
shows the Chartist leader organising the rally promoting workers' 
rights
Race relations: William Cuffay and the London Chartists, 1842, shows the Chartist leader organising the rally promoting workers' rights
Hilda of Whitby by Red Saunders
Captain Swing Movement by Red Saunders
New paintings: These pictures of Hilda of Whitby, a 7th century abbess and pioneer of women's education (left) and the agricultural Swing Riots of 1830 are two of Red Saunders' most recent photographs
The King reneged on virtually all the promises he had made during his brief negotiations with Tyler, including an agreement to put an end to serfdom.
Yet the revolt had not been entirely in vain. The poll tax was abolished soon afterwards and it would be another 300 years before the ministers of Charles I would attempt to reintroduce it.
Successive governments, it seemed, were haunted by the ‘people power’ demonstrated during the Peasants’ Revolt. Looking at the rather fearsome bunch of characters assembled in this photograph, it’s easy to understand why.
Behind the scenes: Red Saunders, left, at the Levellers photo 
shoot
Behind the scenes: Red Saunders, left, at the Levellers photo shoot

Attention to detail: Saunders needs all his subjects to hold the 
correct pose at the right time
Attention to detail: Saunders needs all his subjects to hold the 
correct pose at the right time
Attention to detail: Saunders needs all his subjects to hold the correct pose at the right time

Bigamist caught by first wife when he posted second marriage photos on Facebook

A bigamist was caught out after his first wife spotted his second wedding day photos on Facebook.
Diane Haynes was still legally married to coach driver Paul Haynes when she discovered photographs of his illegal wedding on the social networking site.
Andrew Scott, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that during the time the couple were separated Haynes formed a new relationship with Sandra Johns and they married in a civil ceremony at the George Hotel in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on 25 June last year.
Caught out: Diana Haynes spotted her estranged husband's second 
wedding day photos on his Facebook page and called police police (posed 
by model)
Caught out: Diana Haynes spotted her estranged husband's second wedding day photos on his Facebook page and called police police (posed by model)
Three months later Mrs Haynes discovered the pictures as she browsed Facebook and contacted police.
Mr Scott said that when Haynes arranged his second marriage he lied to the deputy registrar, filling in forms to say that he was single and had never been married.

 'He was asked to confirm whether he had been married before and he said he had not.
'It was not until September 2010 that the deception was revealed. Diane Haynes, who was still married to Paul Haynes, came across a series of photographs on Facebook showing the defendant and his marriage ceremony to Miss Johns.
'His divorce was still ongoing and the defendant was still married to Diane Haynes when he married Miss Johns.'
Just married: Paul Haynes was given a suspended jail sentence for 
bigamy after posting his second wedding pictures (similar to above) on 
Facebook
Just married: Paul Haynes was given a suspended jail sentence for bigamy after posting his second wedding pictures (similar to above) on Facebook
The first Mr and Mrs Haynes married at the Free Church in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, on 21 March 1998 but by 2009 the relationship had broken down with Mrs Haynes obtaining a non-molestation order against her husband.
Haynes ,38, of Stonald Road, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, admitted an offence under the 1911 Perjury Act of making a false statement in relation to a marriage.
He was given a 16 week jail sentence suspended for a year with 80 hours community punishment and £250 costs.


In 2009-2010 there were 60 reported cases of bigamy compared to 74 in 2007-2008

Source: Home Office
Chris Jeyes, defending, said that Haynes genuinely believed he was divorced having signed papers several weeks earlier to confirm he was not contesting the matter.
Mr Jeyes said 'There was no distress caused to either of the women concerned.
Diane Haynes clearly had no wish to remain married to this defendant. Miss Johns was fully aware of the situation and continues to support him.
'Although he did lie when he said to the registrar that he had not previously been married he did not believe that would cause any difficulties because he believed he was divorced.
'He had been told that divorce would normally follow within six weeks of the papers being signed. His previous marriage had ended in difficulties. He was anxious to move on.'
Haynes started divorce proceedings in July this year and the decree absolute was pronounced last week.
Mr Jeyes said 'His intention is now to go through a valid marriage ceremony with Miss Johns.'

Cab driver sews his mouth shut after being fired following conviction for assaulting woman passenger

A cab driver has sewn his mouth shut as a protest after being fired following his conviction for assaulting a woman passenger.
Hassan Hoviat-Doust, 43, has been staging a hunger strike outside Bristol Magistrates' Court since 10am on Monday.
Hoviat-Doust - who cannot speak because of the thick cotton thread binding his lips together - wrote on a piece of paper: 'I am a taxi driver who was wrongly convicted of common assault and I have lost my job.
Unspeakable: Cab driver Hassan Hoviat-Doust has sewn his mouth 
shut and is protesting outside Bristol Magistrates Court over his 
conviction for assault
Unspeakable: Cab driver Hassan Hoviat-Doust has sewn his mouth shut and is protesting outside Bristol Magistrates Court over his conviction for assault
'I have been on hunger strike since my protest started at 10.40am on September 26.
'I am here because none of my evidence was considered by the court even though it was strong.'
Asked why he had stitched his mouth shut, he wrote: 'If you have no right to speak, you have no right to defence.'
Protest: Hoviat-Doust has been outside the court with banners 
since Monday morning
Protest: Hoviat-Doust has been outside the court with banners since Monday morning
Hoviat-Doust has lost his taxi driver's licence as a result of the conviction and is now unable to support his 16-month-old son and wife, who is 19 weeks pregnant.
He was also given an eight-week community order after the trial heard how he had argued with a female passenger about a daytime fare on July 17 last year.
The woman is then said to have rung his taxi office to complain before he became abusive.
Prosecutors claimed he then assaulted her by stopping the taxi, taking her out of the vehicle and leaving her on the ground and driving off.
Hoviat-Doust, of Brentry, Bristol, maintains she was being abusive towards him and that he opened the door and asked her to leave, which she eventually did.
He was found guilty of common assault on June 6 and given an eight-week community order and a tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am.
He was ordered to pay £200 compensation to his victim and court costs of £620.
Stitched up: Hoviat-Doust insists that he is innocent of 
assaulting a woman passenger
Stitched up: Hoviat-Doust insists that he is innocent of assaulting a woman passenger
A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council confirmed that Hoviat-Doust's licence had been suspended by the council in June following his conviction.
She said: 'The council has an overriding duty to maintain safety.
'As a result of Mr Hoviat-Doust's conviction for violent assault against a female passenger, his licence as Hackney Carriage driver was suspended in accordance with council policy.'
The spokeswoman said the cab driver had not appealed against the loss of his licence.

Father, 46, tracks down and throttles schoolboy, 13, in revenge attack for 'killing' him on Call Of Duty

  • 'I'd been playing the whole day and he was baiting me and baiting me and just would not shut up. He went on and on and I just lost it'
  • Boy's mother: 'If you can’t handle losing to a child then you shouldn’t be playing games'
Furious: Mark Bradford, 46, attacked the teenager after being 
'killed' by the schoolboy in an online game of Call of Duty
Furious: Mark Bradford, 46, attacked the teenager after being 'killed' by the schoolboy in an online game of Call of Duty

A middle-aged man charged round to the house of a schoolboy and throttled him after his online character was killed during a game of Call Of Duty, a court heard.
Mark Bradford, 46, was furious when he was gunned down in the war simulation by the 13-year-old, and 'lost it' when the youngster goaded him over his online death.
Unemployed father of three Bradford stormed from his bedsit in Plymouth, Devon, and confronted the youngster at the boy's friend's house by placing his hands round the schoolboy's neck.
The pair had been playing Call Of Duty: Black Ops against each other online and talking using microphones.
The attack ended when the teenager's horrified mother pulled Bradford off the boy, who was left scratched and with reddening to the neck.
Plymouth Magistrates heard that Bradford then simply walked away without saying a word.
The boy, who cannot be identified, said: 'I was just sat playing. We’d had a bit of a joke and then he stormed in and grabbed me.
'I didn’t know what was going on.'
Gareth Warden, prosecuting, said the teenager was playing the game at a friend's house when he called Bradford a name after he 'killed' him.
He added that Bradford went to a nearby house where the boy was playing, walked into the front room and grabbed him around the throat with both hands.
The teenager's mother, 33, said: 'It’s pathetic that a grown man would attack a defenceless child like this.
'If you can’t handle losing to a child then you shouldn’t be playing games.'
Tracey Baker, mitigating, said Bradford, who had mental health issues, 'just lost it'. He told the court the attack was not planned and was provoked by the name-calling.
The Call Of Duty series is one of the best-selling computer game 
franchises of all time
The Call Of Duty series is one of the best-selling computer game franchises of all time
Magistrates ordered a probation officer to prepare a full report on his background before he is sentenced.
Bradford was released on unconditional bail to return to court on October 24.
'Call Of Duty' features a variety of war scenes and carries an 18 guidance certificate.
Participants combat each other online in real time and can communicate with each other throughout the war game scenarios.
Plymouth Magistrates Court: Mr Rees was given a 12-month 
conditional discharge but ordered to pay £100 costs and £50 to the 
victim Guilty: Bradford admitted one assault charge at Plymouth Magistrates Court
Bradford admitted the attack was 'moment of madness' as the child 'would not shut up'.
He said: 'I'd been playing the whole day and he was baiting me and baiting me and just would not shut up.
'He went on and on and I just lost it. I hold my hands up, I lost the plot. In a moment of madness I went round to his house. I didn't know what I was going to do.
'It wasn't malice. I just grabbed him. I've seen him since and apologised. We've played online too. He's actually a decent kid.'
Bradford admitted one count of assault by beating at Plymouth Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Bradford is thought to be a loosely-connected friend of the boy's family

Belgian eccentric who sees everything in black and white... because he thinks he's a penguin

Waddling through the backstreets of Brussels, this elderly gentleman appears to have got slightly lost on his way to a fancy dress party.
But this man is not on his way to a party -  as he is Belgian eccentric Alfred David, who has spent much of the last 40 years living out his obsession with penguins.
The 79-year-old, nicknamed 'Monsieur Pingouin' (Mr Penguin) dons his favourite hooded black-and-white penguin costume when he takes trips out in local neighbourhood of Schaerbeek.
Mr Penguin: Alfred David has spent the last 40 years indulging his
 obsession with penguins, wearing a costume when he goes out and 
collection memorabilia
Mr Penguin: Alfred David has spent the last 40 years indulging his obsession with penguins, wearing a costume when he goes out and collection memorabilia

Alfred holds up a penguin figure, one of the few items of 
memorabilia he still has
Smiles: Alfred David at his home in the Schaerbeek suburb of 
Brussels
Obsessed: Alfred loves penguins so much that he actually wants to be buried in Antarctica when he dies
He is so obsessed with the creatures that he actually wants to be buried in Antarctica, dressed in his penguin suit and laid out in a coffin decorated with penguins.
He says it is his 'ultimate dream is to be buried in a deep ocean close to where penguins live'.
The pensioner's life changed in May 1968 when his hip was injured in a car accident. His resulting limp was characterised by his colleagues as a waddle, and they dubbed him Mr Penguin.       
As a consequence he embraced an interest in the flightless sea bird and began collecting everything he could find that had a link with the animal.
As his obsession grew, he eventually set up a museum in his home displaying some 3,500 items of penguin memorabilia.
Waddling: Alfred got the nickname Mr Penguin when he was injured 
in a car crash in 1968, which left him walking with a limp
Waddling: Alfred got the nickname Mr Penguin when he was injured in a car crash in 1968, which left him walking with a limp

Popular: Mr Penguin chats with residents in the Schaerbeek suburb 
of Brussels, where locals greet him by asking 'How are you today 
Monsieur Pingouin?'
Popular: Mr Penguin chats with residents in the Schaerbeek suburb of Brussels, where locals greet him by asking 'How are you today Monsieur Pingouin?'
Tipple: Despite his love of penguins, Alfred also likes some of 
life's finer things - such as the occasional glass of red
Tipple: Despite his love of penguins, Alfred also likes some of life's finer things - such as the occasional glass of red
However his wife was not so pleased and showed him and his collection the door when he told her he wanted to officially change his name to Mr Penguin.
His wife showed him and his collection the door when he told her he wanted to officially change his 
Alfred later donated his penguin collection - which ranged from penguin lavatory paper to cups and toys - to a local football team to raise money.
Alfred has also appeared on dozens of TV shows over the years and was invited as a special guest to the 1992 Amsterdam premiere of Batman Returns - which featured Danny DeVito as the hero's nemesis 'The Penguin'.    
Television appearances are now rarer but he is still well-known in the streets of Schaerbeek, the Brussels district where he lives and where the locals greet him: 'How are you today Monsieur Pingouin?'
Being a penguin though does not stop Alfred enjoying some of life's finer things.
He still enjoys a glass of red wine - gripping the glass between his penguin-suit wings - although he still needs two hands to grip the glass.
 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mysterious glowing tide turns Californian coastline into a neon blue alien landscape

It could be the grim denouement from a science fiction film, as the silhouette of a man solemnly watches a glowing sea, with a child perched atop his shoulders.
But this is not cinema trickery - it's a natural phenomena caused by a chemical reaction called bioluminescence, which happens when a naturally-occurring micro-organism in the water is disturbed, causing a chemical reaction which emits light.
The reaction is similar to the ‘glow’ that fireflies use to attract prey or mates. Many undersea organisms ‘glow’, especially creatures that live at depths where light from the surface is less likely to penetrate.
The spellbinding sight was captured at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California, yesterday. The night-time glow is a side-effect of blooming red algae, known as red tide, which can turn entire beaches scarlet and murky during the day.
The smell of decay, caused by rotting kelp, plankton and fish often accompanies the event as the red algae starves the water of oxygen and light. By night, there is an increase in microscopic plankton called dynoflagellates, which glow in the dark when disturbed by currents or waves.
Michael Dermyer and his five-year-old son Colin watch the waves 
glow neon blue from the red tide at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, 
California
Michael Dermyer and his five-year-old son Colin watch the waves glow neon blue from the red tide at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California

Hang on, is this painting really worth £60,000? Huge canvas containing just the date in the corner is up for auction

In what many will inevitably see as the latest example of the emperor's new clothes, a large, blank white canvas that just has the date written in the bottom corner is expected to sell for £60,000.

Artist Bob Law did nothing to the minimalist work other than draw a border around the edge with a black marker pen and date it.

The piece, called Nothing to be Afraid of V 22.8.69, is set to be keenly fought over when it goes under the hammer at auction.

Much ado about 'Nothing'? The minimalist work, "Nothing to be Afraid of V 22.8.69", by British artist Bob Law goes under the hammer at Bonhams' contemporary art sale next month
Law has been described as one of the founding fathers of British minimalist painting but he did not receive the accolades his contemporaries in the US were getting.

He died in 2004 and this is the first major canvas of his hugely collectable work to come up for auction.

The item, for sale at Bonhams' contemporary art sale on October 13, has been owned by its vendor for more than a decade and there is great excitement in the art world that it will be included at auction.
Measuring 108 by 84 inches, it is designed to be hung on a wall and has already appeared in a number of exhibitions.

Tony McNerney, head of contemporary art at Bonhams, said: 'Bob Law is the most underestimated and overlooked minimal artist in Britain and this is the first major canvas of his to come up for auction.
Bob Law's 'Black Watercolour XLIII 22.2.88'
Black Arts: Law's Black Watercolour XLIII 22.2.88
'He was doing in the UK what others were doing in America, but he didn't get the recognition that he deserved.

'This piece is dated 1969 and it is art in its purest form. He drew the border in black marker and added the date.'
Bob Law was born in 1934 in Brentford, Middlesex. Following National Service in 1954 he decided he did not want to pursue a career as an architect.
In 1957 he moved to St Ives, Cornwall, which had a long-established art movement and it was there that he learned pottery and painting.

Law created his first black paintings using powdered pigment and linseed oil because he could not afford tubes of paint.

By 1959 he had the beginnings of a reputation, working from a cottage at Nancledra, south of St Ives, which he rented from the painter Trevor Bell.
Minimalism had always been a difficult route and, after his initial success, Law suffered doubts about the validity of his work - what might be called the Rothko syndrome, after the American abstract artist Mark Rothko, who committed suicide in 1970.

In 1960 Law moved away from Cornwall but returned to live there in 1997 and died in April 2004, aged 70.

He is survived by his former wife, Gina and their two children, Vanessa and Daniel.

Rare baby Amur tiger looks less than impressed by his mother's attentions


This seven-week-old tiger cub looks less than impressed as his mother gives him a hearty lick during his first foray into the open air at a Russian zoo.
The cub is one of three born to female Amur tiger Iris and her mate Kedr, who have already have seven babies.
The latest litter was born at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk on August 5 and the trio have been named Kaktus, Jasmin and Narciss.
Oh mum! Iris gives one of her triplets a loving lick - but he 
looks less than impressed
Oh mum! Iris gives one of her triplets a loving lick - but he looks less than impressed
I'll get you back! The tiny cub play fights with his mother as the
 family makes it's first public appearance at Royev Ruchey zoo in 
Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk
I'll get you back! The tiny cub play fights with his mother as the family makes it's first public appearance at Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk
Siberian tigers are one of the world's rarest species with only 300 thought to be left in the wild, most of which are in Russia's Far East.
The world's largest cat was once a familiar sight across northern China, the Korean peninsula and eastern Russia.
But loss of habitat and poaching almost wiped out the cats during the early 20th century with only 20-30 individuals surviving in the wild by the 1940s.
Watch me go: The trio were born on August 5 and are named Kaktus, 
Jasmin and Narciss
Watch me go: The trio were born on August 5 and are named Kaktus, Jasmin and Narciss

Fierce! One of the seven-week-old cubs tries out his fighting face
Fierce! One of the seven-week-old cubs tries out his fighting face

'Exhausted but so happy': Man reaches summit of Kilimanjaro for 70th birthday, texts wife then dies of a heart attack

A father dropped dead on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro just minutes after texting his wife telling her he was 'exhausted but so happy' to reach the top.
It had been a lifetime dream of Alistair Cook's to tackle the summit of Africa's highest peak ahead of his 70th birthday, which he would have celebrated on Monday.
But just minutes after reaching the summit, he suffered a fatal heart attack and died.
Moments after this picture was taken of Alistair Cook at the 
summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, he suffered a heart attack and died
Moments after this picture was taken at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Alistair Cook texted his wife to say he was 'so happy'. He then began his descent when he tragically had a heart attack and died

'Dad died doing something he loved': Alistair Cook has a heart 
attack as he descended from Mount Kilimanjaro
'Dad died doing something he loved':  The father of three died after scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak
Just before his death Mr Cook sent his wife of three years, Vicky, a text message expressing his delight at his achievement.
It said: 'Reached the summit at 09.50am, feel exhausted but so happy.'
Speaking from the home the couple shared in Leicestershire, Mrs Cook said: 'When he got to the top he said he was exhausted but happy, he was ecstatic at reaching it.
'He said it had been hard work but he was enjoying it and he was in good shape.'
'He had lots of energy and enthusiasm -a passion for life.'
Dream: Alistair Cook texted his wife, Vicky, pictured here on the 
couple's wedding day, just minutes before he died after achieving a life
 dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Dream: Mr Cook with his wife Vicky on their wedding day three years' ago. She said her husband had trained hard for his climb
Father-of-three Mr Cook had trained for about 18 months for the climb, and walked near his home every morning.
He also scaled Mount Snowdon, in Wales, in preparation for the challenge.
Mrs Cook said: 'He was focused on making sure he knew what he had to do for the climb.'
Her husband undertook the trek with four other climbers as part of a trip organised by Team Kilimanjaro, a company which specialises in climbing holidays on the mountain.
The tragedy happened only two hours into the group's descent on September 11.
Mr Cook had lived in Leicestershire for more than 40 years and originally worked as an engineer.
In 1977 he founded framing company Framers Corner, in Bardon, near Coalville, of which he was managing director.
His three children, Richard, 41, Alex, 38, and Samantha, 36, all work at Framers Corner.
Richard, who is general manager, said his father was a man who 'never stopped'.
He said: 'He was always active both inside and outside of work, the climb was something he had always wanted to do.'
Mr Cook was involved with the Rotary Club of Loughborough and had previously served as its president.

First picture of the 'toy plane bomber': Musician 'planned to attack Pentagon with remote-controlled aircraft packed with explosives'

  • Rezwan Ferdaus, 26, graduated from Northeastern and is a U.S. citizen
  • He frequently met with 'agents of al Qaeda' for help waging his 'jihad'... but they were really undercover FBI agents
  • Arrested after he accepted delivery from undercover agents of grenades, six machine guns and C-4 explosive
  • Ferdaus 'played drums in college band and was nicknamed Bollywood'
Bomber: 26-year-old Rezwan Ferdaus has been accused of plotting to
 attack the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol with large remote-controlled 
aircraft filled with explosives
Bomber: 26-year-old Rezwan Ferdaus has been accused of plotting to attack the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol with large remote-controlled aircraft filled with explosives
This is the face of the Massachusetts man accused of plotting to attack the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol by using remote-controlled aircraft filled with C-4 explosives.
Musician Rezwan Ferdaus, 26, was also charged with attempting to provide support and resources to al Qaeda in order to carry out attacks on U.S. soldiers stationed overseas, U.S. attorney's office in Boston said.
He was caught as a result of an undercover operation.
He was arrested in Framingham after undercover federal agents delivered materials he'd allegedly requested for his plan, including grenades, six machine guns and what he believed was 24 pounds of C-4 explosive.
According to a federal affidavit, Ferdaus said he wanted to deal a psychological blow to Americans, the 'enemies of Allah,' by hitting the Pentagon, which he called 'head and heart of the snake.'
In a conversation with a federal informant, Ferdaus allegedly explained how in ancient times, God uses natural disasters to punish evil civilizations, and he would use them today.
'For us, we've gotta do that,' he said, according to the affidavit. 'Allah has given us the privilege... he punishes them by our hand. We're the ones.'
Terror: Rezwan Ferdaus planned to use remote control planes lined 
with C-4 to attack the capital before he was arrested by authorities. 
Here: a scale model of a U.S. Navy F-86 Sabre fighter plane similar to 
the remote control aircraft he planned to use
Terror: Rezwan Ferdaus planned to use remote control planes lined with C-4 to attack the capital before he was arrested by authorities. Here: a scale model of a U.S. Navy F-86 Sabre fighter plane similar to the remote control aircraft he planned to use
Eerie: a surveillance photo of the Pentagon, said to be taken by 
Ferdaus
Eerie: An amateur surveillance photo of the Pentagon said to be taken by Ferdaus as he plotted during a trip to Washington D.C. in May
'The conduct alleged today shows that Mr Ferdaus had long planned to commit violent acts against our country. Thanks to the diligence of the FBI and our many other law enforcement partners, that plan was thwarted.' U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said in a statement.
Musician: Ferdus studied physics at Northeastern University where 
he reportedly went by the name 'Bollywood' and played drums in a 
Massachusetts band
Musician: Ferdus studied physics at Northeastern University where he reportedly went by the name 'Bollywood' and played drums in a Massachusetts band
'In addition to protecting our citizens from the threats and violence alleged today, we also have an obligation to protect members of every community, race and religion against violence and other unlawful conduct,' Mr Ortiz said.
The Department of Justice also said that 'the public was never in danger from the explosive devices, which were controlled by undercover FBI employees. 
It went on to say that Ferdaus was in contact with the undercover officers as they monitored the development of his plot.
The FBI agent in charge of the operation said that more than 30 federal, state and local agencies worked with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force on this arrest.
Ferdus studied physics at Northeastern University where he reportedly went by the name 'Bollywood' and played drums in a Massachusetts band, according to CBS.
The undercover operation started in 2010 and Ferdus frequently met with officers who were pretending to be either members of or recruiters for Al Qaeda.
During their meetings, Ferdus would give the officers mobile phones that he had rigged to be the detonators for IED, that they would then bring overseas and use to kill American soldiers.
After one such meeting, the undercover officer told Ferdus that a previous device had killed three American soldiers and injured four or five more; Ferdus replied 'That was exactly what I wanted'.
A scale model of a U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom fighter plane handed out 
by the U.S. Justice Department similar to the one Ferdaus planned to use
 in his attack
A scale model of a U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom fighter plane handed out by the U.S. Justice Department similar to the one Ferdaus planned to use in his attack
According to the federal affidavit, Ferdaus began planning 'jihad' against the U.S. in early 2010.
In one meeting, he said that his desire to kill Americans was so strong that he said 'I just can't stop; there is no other choice for me'.
Ferdaus even allegedly travelled to Washington D.C. last May, gathering pictures of his proposed targets.
He discussed his plan for a massive attack on the Capitol, in which he intended to cause a high number of casualties as well as instil psychological fear, with undercover officers at great length.
Ferdaus planned to use an 'aerial assault' to 'eliminate key locations of the [Pentagon] building ...and leave one area only as a squeeze where the individuals will be isolated, they'll be vulnerable and we can dominate'.
He planned to use planes laden with C-4 and AK-47 machine guns to complete the attack.

Shocking moment a man emerges from McDonald’s to shoot a passer-by

Dramatic footage of a teen being blasted at point-blank range in a gun ambush outside McDonald's has been released today.
The shooting, which shows the victim thrown into the road after being hit four times, was caught on camera in Brooklyn.
He was left fighting for his life.

Chilling: CCTV of the shooting outside a McDonalds in Brooklyn
Chilling: CCTV of the shooting outside a McDonalds in Brooklyn
Dramatic: The gunman opens fire as witness run for cover
Dramatic: The gunman opens fire as witness run for cover
Police have now launched a manhunt to catch three gunmen who carried out the choreographed daylight attack.
Images show 18-year-old Tyquan Sewall, who lives just blocks from the burger shop, being shot at point-blank range.
He was then hit three more times and sent rolling out into the street, passing through at least two lanes of traffic.
The weapon used was a .32-caliber Smith & Wesson. The man who fired the gun was wearing a bright red jacket.
Manhunt: The gunman in a red coat fires more shots as his victim 
rolls on the road
Manhunt: The gunman in a red coat fires more shots as his victim rolls on the road
Two of the men then ran over and snatched two white bags Mr Sewall had dropped onto the street before making off as police arrive.
It happened in Flatlands at around 3pm on Tuesday. The victim was hit in the chest, groin and leg and is now in a critical condition in hospital.

Officers said before the shooting Mr Sewall had got into an argument on nearby Flatbush Avenue.
During that spat, a man told Mr Sewall to come with him to the McDonald's, police said.
Mr Sewall followed, but couldn't see a gun being passed around the three men. Two went in while one waited at the door as Mr Sewall approached.
Then the two men inside McDonald's came out and the gun was handed to one of them who opened fire.
Police said the attackers fled out of the restaurant's back entrance and dumped the loaded six-shooter in a rubbish bin a block away.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said: 'What you see here is a pretty elaborate choreography of handing off the gun from the first player, to the second player and to the gunman - all along luring the victim to the ambush.'

House prices fall at fastest rate ever across England and Wales

  • Figures highlight 'property apartheid' between London and rest of the country
  • North East worst affected with house prices falling by a fifth since 2008
House prices are plunging across England and Wales, with some regions hit by the fastest fall since records began, official figures revealed yesterday.
Only London is saved from the collapse, with house prices continuing to rise sharply.
The figures, from the Land Registry, highlight the ‘property apartheid’ between London and every other region of the country.
Of the 10 regions, the worst affected is the North East where 
prices have fallen by a fifth since the financial crisis began in 2008.
Price drop: Of the 10 regions, the worst affected is the North East where prices have fallen by a fifth since the financial crisis began in 2008
Of the ten regions, the worst affected is the North East where prices have fallen by a fifth since the financial crisis began in 2008.
By comparison, prices in London, where the average home costs nearly £350,000, are close to an all-time high.
Over the last year alone, prices in the area have dropped by 7.8 per cent in the North East, the biggest annual drop that the Land Registry has ever recorded in the region.
Of the 10 regions, the worst affected is the North East where 
prices have fallen by a fifth since the financial crisis began in 2008.
The figures highlight the 'property apartheid' between London and the rest of the country. In London property prices have increased since last year by 2.1 per cent
The plunge leaves many homeowners in negative equity, which means their mortgage is larger than the current value of their property.
In January 2008, the price of the average home in the North East peaked at £128,705. Today the same home is worth just £101,759.
The North East is particularly affected by the Government’s austerity programme. Around one in three workers are employed by the State.
And the unemployment rate is higher than anywhere else in Britain, with more than one in ten people out of work and failing to find a job.
House prices have dropped by around 10 per cent ¿ or more ¿ in 
Blackburn, Blackpool, pictured, Kingston upon Hull, Hartlepool, 
Ceredigion and Durham
House prices have dropped by around 10 per cent - or more - in Blackburn, Blackpool, pictured, Kingston upon Hull, Hartlepool, Ceredigion and Durham
In other regions, such as Wales, the North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, house prices have fallen by at least four per cent over the last year.
They have dropped by around 10 per cent – or more – in Blackburn, Blackpool, Kingston upon Hull, Hartlepool, Ceredigion and Durham.
The fall is a disaster for millions of homeowners, who cannot sell their property or can only find a buyer who is prepared to pay far less than the homeowner paid.

House prices tread water as average home costs £166,256

The housing market stalled last month, Nationwide's chief economist said today.
The average price of a home increased by just 0.1 per cent to £166,256 from £165,914 in August.
House prices Economist Robert Gardner said prices had remained flat over the year - and were 0.3 per cent lower than September 2010.
He said: 'Sluggish demand for homes on the back of weak labour market conditions, combined with only a gradual rise in the supply of available properties, has helped to keep property prices fairly stable since the summer of 2010.
'We expect this trend to be maintained over the remainder of 2011, although downside risks have increased as UK and global growth prospects have weakened.'
The number of homeowners finding a buyer has halved over the last five years, according to official figures from HM Revenue and Customs.
In 2006, 1.7million homes were sold. Last year, there were just 880,000 sales, leaving many trapped in homes they want to sell.
Some of the worst affected are people who have had to move for their jobs, and are being forced to rent because they cannot sell their previous home.
For Londoners, the situation could not be more different, with prices up 2.1 per cent over the last year, but up to 10 per cent in some areas.
Experts said yesterday the property market in London is red hot with many homes selling instantly and triggering a bidding war.
Liam Bailey, head of residential research at the estate agency Knight Frank, said: ‘London prices have soared over the past two years, but this has not registered at all in the regions.
‘This housing wealth is not flowing beyond the M25. In fact, it is barely flowing beyond the North and South Circular.’
Peter Rollings, chief executive of the estate agency Marsh & Parsons, said: ‘London is a magnet for people wanting to put their money safely in property.
‘But, if you go 30 miles out of the capital, it is a totally different story.’
Table showing the average prices per property type in England and 
Wales. The price of all homes are down 2.6 per cent on average
Table showing the average prices per property type in England and Wales. The price of all homes are down 2.6 per cent on average
He said a two-bedroom flat in South Kensington, London was put on the market last Friday. By Tuesday, 45 different people had booked a viewing.
Of the six homes sold recently by Marsh & Parsons’s office in Kensington, five were the subject of a bidding war between rival buyers.
Research by Knight Frank shows about half of the homes bought in central London for more than £1million are acquired by foreigners.
They are typically from Russia, the United Arab Emirates, America, France, Singapore or India.
For many British people, London property has been the best place to put their money at a time when savings rates are rock bottom and the stock market has plunged.

Eating just THREE eggs a week 'increases chance of men getting prostate cancer'

  • Men who ate the most eggs also more likely to have a poor diet, be overweight, smoke and take less exercise
Having eggs for breakfast might seem like a reasonably healthy choice.
But eating just three a week can significantly increase a man's chance of getting prostate cancer, a study has shown.
Men who eat more than two-an-a-half eggs on a weekly basis are 80 per cent more likely to contract the disease, claim researchers at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
Hidden risks: Men who eat more than two-an-a-half eggs a week are 
80 per cent more likely to get prostate cancer, a study shows (picture 
posed by model)
Hidden risks: Men who eat more than two-an-a-half eggs a week are 80 per cent more likely to get prostate cancer, a study shows (picture posed by model)
The risk from eggs could be due to their high levels of cholesterol and choline, a nutrient that helps cells function, according to the scientists.
 But cancer groups said the link between eggs and prostate cancer could be down to other factors, as men who ate the most eggs were also more likely to have a poor diet, be overweight, smoke and take less exercise.
British people eat an average of 182 eggs a year, and around 31million eggs are bought every single day.
The British Heart Foundation used to recommend no more than three eggs a week because of fears it might increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
But it dropped the recommendation in 2007 when new evidence showed that, although eggs contain cholesterol, little is deposited in the bloodstream.
Health problems: Prostate cancer cells could be affected by high 
level of cholesterol in eggs
Health problems: Prostate cancer cells could be affected by high level of cholesterol in eggs
However, the Harvard researchers said people should exercise caution after their study of more than 27,000 men over 14 years showed a link between eggs and cancer.
They also measured consumption of poultry, red meat and processed meats - but found no link between these foods and the tumours.
They decided to investigate the role of eggs in prostate cancer after an initial study last year found men with low-grade tumours were more likely to be killed by them if they had an egg-rich diet.
Their report said: 'Men who consumed 2.5 eggs or more a week had an 81 per cent increased risk of lethal prostate cancer compared to men who consumed less than half an egg a week.
'Although additional studies are needed, caution in egg intake may be warranted for adult men.'
Nearly 32,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK and 10,000 men die from it - the equivalent of more than one an hour.
Sarah Williams, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: 'There is a small amount of previous research on the link between eating eggs and the risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer, but the results have been contradictory and it's still not clear whether there is a real effect.'
The British Egg Information Service said the research was flawed and the total number of prostate cancer deaths in the study - 199 - was too small to make firm conclusions.
A spokeswoman said: 'The results suggest egg consumption was a marker for other more important lifestyle factors which influence prostate cancer risk.'