Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No... it's a man in a flying KAYAK: Daredevil claims to be world's first 'skyaker'

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By Mail Foreign Service

Making a splash: Skyaker Miles Daisher is ready to launch out of the Caravan at 13,500 ft above the ground

Danger man Miles Daisher casts a bizarre image paddling across the sky - 13,000 feet up in a kayak.

The daredevil has turned extreme sport skydiving on its head after deciding to jump out of a plane in equipment normally used only in water - giving birth to 'skyaking'.

His spin on the risky hobby means anyone looking up will draw a blank when they ask: 'Is it a bird? Is it a plane?'

But the answer will become clear when Miles swoops in at 50mph and lands on the water in spectacular fashion.

His unbelievable antics are set to explode onto the worldwide silver screen in a sensational new 3D film on skydiving, base jumping, wingsuit flying and skyaking.

The 40-year-old, from Twin Falls, Idaho, decided to put a twist into has favourite pastime when looking for new ideas to take it even more extreme.

And as these pictures 13,000 feet over beautiful Lake Tahoe show his efforts are both incredible and hilarious.

'It took us nearly a year before we could get our wish to come true as no-one was really looking to throw a kayak out of an aeroplane.

'To begin with we did it off a 600ft bridge on a static line, and landed in Feather River, California.'


Up a creek with no paddle: Miles uses his arms to get his ballance and keep the Skyak stable while falling towards Earth at 101 mph

Static lines connect the jumper to the point they are jumping from - such as a plane or in Miles' case the bridge - and automatically pulls their parachute as they fall away.

He continued: 'A year later I got permission to jump out of an aeroplane and so since that time I have jumped out of four different aircraft, including a helicopter.

'We have taken it all over the world from Mexico to Abu Dhabi and I have been skyaking for nearly eight years now.'

Over the years father-of-two Miles and his team have slowly perfected the art of skyaking.

'There are a lot of things that can go wrong in skyaking and so you have to be prepared,' he said


The daredevil has turned extreme sport skydiving on its head after deciding to jump out of a plane in equipment normally used only in water


'In skyaking I usually put the chute quite high. With skydives I will pull at 2,000 ft above the ground whereas with skyaking I will pull at 5,000 ft above the ground incase anything starts to go a little crazy.

'That way I have a time to sort things out, get out of the boat and then pull the chute for the kayak.' And he has noted some strong differences in regular skydiving.
'The rate at which you fall is a lot different,' he said.

'Instead of falling flat on your belly you are sitting up right in an L position. I liken it to sitting on a space hopper, balancing front to back and side to side.

'It does take some decent balance skills. And because the boat has such a big surface area your fall rate is a lot slower.

'If you are lying on your belly, a normal sized human will fall at 120 mph.

'If you go into a stand up or a head down then you can build the speed up to 160-180 mph.

'But with this boat, that has so much surface area and weighs 35 lbs, meaning that I fall at only 98 mph.

The reduced rate of Miles' descent through the clouds means that cameramen wishing to film him need to wear special wingsuits to increase drag and reduce their own fall rate - so they don't just hurtle past skyaking Miles.

Wingsuits are specially adapted bodywear for skydivers and base jumpers. Flaps of material running across the gaps between arms and legs increase drag for jumpers and allow them to glide like a flying squirrel.

Danger-hungry Miles has completed more base jumps than anyone in the world with 2,570 and has completed a whopping 3,000 skydives since he quit his job and took up the sport in 1995.


Water landing: Miles Skyaks into the ditch for a perfect splashdown, water landing at Skydive Sebastian, Florida
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More than 5,000 Australians strip on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in the name of art

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By Mail Foreign Service

Titled Mardi Gras: The Base, the installation had been commissioned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which took place over the weekend


More than 5,000 people turned up at the Sydney Opera House today to get naked in the name of art.


Braving an early morning chill they shed their clothes, abandoned any embarrassment, and posed naked for renowned American nudist photographer Spencer Tunick.

People came in all shapes and sizes and one heavily pregnant woman even postponed the birth of her twins so she could take part.


As the sun rose over the harbour, Mr Tunick instructed his subjects to adopt a number of poses, from standing, lying, and even embracing cheek to cheek


Titled Mardi Gras: The Base, the installation had been commissioned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which took place over the weekend.

Mr Tunick, 43, who has taken nude crowd pictures all around the world, said the project was about sending a positive message that no one should shun other people.

'Gay men and women lay naked next to their straight neighbours and this delivered a very strong message to the world that Australians embrace a free and equal society,' he said.

The organisers had only expected about half the number of people to turn up.


The Sydney Harbour Bridge is visible in the background as the thousands of Australians parade naked along the seafront


More than 5,000 people turned up at the Sydney Opera House today to get naked for a project by American nudist photographer Spencer Tunick


Mr Tunick, 43, who has taken nude crowd pictures all around the world, said the project was about sending a positive message that no one should shun other people


'We thought we'd get a couple of thousand people turning up - but to get 5,200 is just amazing,' said one of Mr Tunick's assistants.

As the sun rose over the harbour, Mr Tunick instructed his subjects to adopt a number of poses, from standing, lying, and even embracing cheek to cheek.

'I want all couples to embrace and kiss, all friends to kiss and all strangers to, well, do whatever they want,' said the photographer.

Anna Bruce, 28, who signed up for the photo shoot with a friend, described the event as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity.


People came in all shapes and sizes and one heavily pregnant woman even postponed the birth of her twins so she could take part


A wide-angle lens shot of the 'installation'

'It was easier than I expected. It was really normal - there was no problem in getting our kit off. I'd say the hardest part was the embracing poses.'


Mr Tunick maintains his work is not about exhibitionism or eroticism but instead he reveals the vulnerability of life in a rough city landscape


Student Art Rush admitted that he was expecting old people and nudists to turn up 'but everyone arrived from all over the place.

'It's a great adrenalin rush and I'll never get a chance to do anything like this again. It's not worth being inhibited.

'It doesn't feel sexual - more like a feeling of being tribal, a gathering of humanity.'

The artist said today’s installation 'went well'.

'I’m just so lucky to be able to work with so many naked gay, straight and transgender people,' he said.

This is Mr Tunick's first installation in Australia following projects in the U.S., Brazil, France, England, Spain, Switzerland, Holland and Austria.

The artist has been documenting the nude figure in public through photography and video since 1992.

His largest work to date involved 18,000 people posing in Mexico City in 2007.

He has said the title of the work refers to the sameness of individuals, regardless of their sexual preferences.

Mr Tunick maintains his work is not about exhibitionism or eroticism but instead he reveals the vulnerability of life in a rough city landscape.

However sometimes authorities have disagreed, particularly in the U.S., where Tunick has been arrested seven times.
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New Dubai Mall evacuated after cracks appear in giant aquarium

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Leak: A torrent of water gushes out of the giant Dubai Mall aquarium after a crack opens up in the glass


Part of the vast Dubai Mall has been evacuated after its giant aquarium developed a leak, a police official said today.

The aquarium, one of the largest tanks in the world at 167ft by 66ft, has hundreds of living animals including Sand Tiger sharks and rays.

It is thought to have developed a crack and a witness said people in part of the mall were evacuated and dozens of emergency vehicles were outside.

The police official, who declined to be identified, said: 'There was a small problem, a simple crack, and the water leaked.'

Six divers entered the tank and appeared to be coordinating with workers outside the glass, while workers mopped up water from the floor.

Emaar's chairman Mohammed Alabbar denied there was a leak in the aquarium, saying there was a 'technical fault in the operating device,' according to a statement carried on the country's official news agency WAM.


Emergency crews are seen arriving at Dubai Mall following the incident


Security personnel inside the mall after it was evacuated when water started gushing out of the aquarium


But a witness said water had been leaking from a crack in the aquarium glass.

'I saw a small crack in the aquarium glass and there was a little water coming out and a lot of water on the floor,' said Ranjin, a 27-year old corporate secretary.

'The police came and evacuated the area around the aquarium.'

Dubai Aquarium is planning to have more than 33,000 animals representing more than 85 species in the giant tank.

It also features an underwater zoo which has penguins, seals, crocodiles and water rats among its attractions.

It is operated by Emaar Properties and also features the world's largest acrylic viewing panel.
One million people had already visited the aquarium seven months after it had opened.


Visitors view the huge aquarium in Dubai Mall (file photo)


This is the latest in a string of problems for the aquarium.

Shortly before its opening in October 2008, over ten per cent of the sharks in the tank were been killed in attacks that marred the build-up to its unveiling.

Sand Tiger sharks killed at least 40 smaller reef sharks and were aggressive towards divers working on final preparations in the giant tank.

Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping mall by total area, contains around 600 retailers and had over 37 million visitors in its first year of operation.

It now has an average of 750,000 visitors every week. As well as shops and restaurants, the Mall also contains an ice rink and cinema.

Emaar Properties, the Arab world's largest developer, came under scrutiny earlier this month when it closed the observation deck at Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower and the firm's flagship project, just a month after its fanfare opening.
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Woman trainer dies after attack from 12,000lb 'serial' killer whale at SeaWorld

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By David Gardner

SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, pictured above and below with one of her animals, was dragged to her death by a killer whale at the adventure park


A woman trainer was dragged underwater and drowned by a six-ton 'serial' killer whale in front of horrified spectators at SeaWorld in Florida yesterday.

Dawn Brancheau, 40, was grabbed by the waist and shaken violently by the rogue whale at the Orlando theme park, which attracts tens of thousands of British visitors each year.

The whale, Tillikum, was still being allowed to perform at the park up until yesterday's tragedy despite being responsible for the deaths of two other people in attacks.


The attack happened at lunchtime yesterday when about 50 tourists stayed behind after the 'Believe' show to watch trainers feed the orcas.


There were conflicting reports over how Mrs Brancheau, who had worked for 14 years with killer whales as was one of SeaWorld's most experienced trainers, was killed.

Police said she 'apparently slipped or fell' into the whales' tank, but eye-witnesses described a much more horrific scene.

Park guest Victoria Biniak said she was watching as the trainers talked about the show to a crowd of people when one of them was suddenly swept away in the whale's mouth.

The whale 'took off really fast in the tank and then he came back around to the glass, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started shaking her violently, and one of her shoes flew off,' she said.


Dawn Brancheau's body lies covered under a canopy, circled below, as an unidentified orca, possibly her killer Tillikum, swims segregated in a pool beside her at SeaWorld


She said Mrs Brancheau was talking about Tillikum, one of the stars of the Shamu show.


'We walked down and there was a lot of people there. There was a trainer standing by the window talking about the whale. People were asking questions like how much does he weigh and things like that,' she said.

'Then the whale floated upside down and the trainer said he wanted a belly rub. He really likes that. Then Tillikum just took off like a bat out of you know where.'

Gary Biniak said Tillikum, a male orca weighing over 12,000lbs, 'literally charged one of the trainers who was on the side of the pool training and feeding the whales'.


Dawn Brancheau was filmed feeding the killer whales just moments before she was attacked and killed


A killer whale approaches Dawn Brancheau, seconds later she was dragged underneath the water


He said: 'The whale pulled the trainer into the water and was thrashing around. He dragged her underneath the water and wouldn't let her come up. It was terrible.

'Generally, they don't allow any of the trainers to swim with this particular whale because he is so large and has a different temperament.'

'This particular trainer didn't jump into the water, she was taken forcibly,' he added.

Dan Brown, the park's manager, fought back tears as he said the trainer, who had been inspired by a trip to SeaWorld when she was nine years old, 'drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales'.

He wouldn't comment on what is likely to happen to the killer whale.


Tillikum, the largest killer whale in captivity, had a history of attacks on humans before this latest tragic incident


Dawn Brancheau swimming with a killer whale called Nalani in March 2009


Mrs Brancheau's older sister, Diane Gross, said the trainer - who was married but did not have any children - would not want anything to happen to the killer whale because she loved the animals 'like children'.

She said: 'She loved the whales like her children, she loved all of them. They all had personalities, good days and bad days.'

She added that the family was viewing Mrs Brancheau's death as an unfortunate action.

In an interview, Mrs Brancheau acknowledged the risks of the job, saying: 'You can't put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you.'

'I remember walking down the aisle [of Shamu Stadium] and telling my mom, "this is what I want to do",' she told the Orlando Sentinel in 2006.

An Orlando police spokesman claimed last night that Mrs Brancheau tumbled accidentally into the whale holding tank and died.

'There is no sense of foul play right now. This appears to be an accident,' he said.


Dan Brown, general manager of SeaWorld Adventure Park, centre, walks with Kelly Flaherty Clark, left, curator of animal training at SeaWorld, before holding a news conference yesterday after the death of Dawn Brancheau


It is not the first time Tillikum has been involved in an attack. Nicknamed 'Tilly', he was blamed for the drowning of one of his trainers in 1991 when he was at Sealand in British Columbia.

Sold to SeaWorld as a stud in 1992, the whale was also involved in an incident when a homeless man's dead body was found across his back in 1999.

The man is thought to have drowned in the stadium's icy water, but investigators said it appeared that the whale had bitten him and tore off his swimming trunks thinking he was a play toy.

Because of his size and the previous deaths, trainers were not supposed to get into the water with Tilikum, and only 12 of the park's 29 trainers worked with him.

Mrs Brancheau had more experience with the 30-year-old whale than most, and was one of the park's most experienced trainers overall.

Steve McCulloch, founder and program manager at the Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Program at Harbor Branch/Florida Atlantic University, said the whale may have been playing, but it is too early to tell.

'I wouldn't jump to conclusions,' he said.

'These are very large powerful marine mammals. They exhibit this type of behavior in the wild.'


'Animal lover': Dawn Brancheau, who was inspired to become an animal trainer at SeaWorld after a visit when she was just nine, poses with her pet dog


Wild killer whales are not generally seen as a threat to humans, however captive killer whales have been known to attack their handlers at theme parks.

Since the 1970s, killer whales have attacked just two dozen people worldwide.

But critics claim the animals can become aggressive when kept captive due to higher levels of stress and unnatural living conditions.

Officials at PETA called on the park 'to stop confining ocean-going mammals to an area that to them is like the size of a bathtub'

A spokesman said: 'It's not surprising when these huge, smart animals lash out.'

In November 2006, a 7,000lb killer whale dragged its handler Ken Peters underwater twice at the SeaWorld theme park in Florida during a routine trick.

After the attack, the whale, Katsatka, circled her tank as Ken Peters was treated by paramedics and whisked away on a stretcher. He was not seriously injured in the attack.

One onlooker said at the time: 'We realised she had the trainer by the foot and she took him under and submerged for a minute.'

The same killer whale also tried to drown Mr Peters during a 1999 show, again grabbing him by the foot and dragging him in circles.

Jim Atchison, President and Chief Executive Officer, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, said: 'It is with great sadness that I report that one of our most experienced animal
trainers drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales at our SeaWorld Orlando park.

'We have initiated an investigation to determine, to the extent possible, what occurred. There are no other details to share at this point, but we will make our findings known in due course.

'I must emphasize that this is an extraordinarily difficult time for the SeaWorld parks, and our team members. Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees, guests and the
animals entrusted to our care.

'All of our standard operating procedures will come under review as part of the investigation. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the trainer
and will do everything possible to assist them in this difficult time.

'We appreciate everyone’s understanding and will share more information as it becomes known and available.'

'SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego are open today as scheduled (SeaWorld San Antonio is not yet open for the season). But Believe shows and Dine with Shamu experiences at all SeaWorld locations have been suspended for the time being. We will update you on this as soon as we have more information.'
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A very corporate apology. Tearful Tiger Woods says sorry to family and fans for his philandering (and puts in a word for his sponsors)

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By Nicola Boden and David Gardner In Los Angeles

Forgive me: Tiger Woods at the Sawgrass Golf Club in Florida today


In an extraordinary and carefully stage-managed apology, a tearful Tiger Woods faced the world yesterday for the first time since his exposure as a serial adulterer.


The billionaire golfer stared manfully into the camera as he repeatedly said how 'deeply sorry' he was for the pain his philandering had caused.

Emerging from his bunker 84 days after the car crash which caused his life to unravel, he begged forgiveness from his wife, family, friends and fans.


Candid: Woods said: 'I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated'

And, with suitably dramatic pauses, 34-year-old Woods made sure to mention that the cheating scandal 'caused considerable worry to my business partners'

His 15-minute performance included a plug for his foundation and a word of thanks to his sponsors - who duly responded in kind minutes later.

But it remains to be seen whether the millions watching worldwide will be convinced.

And despite his contrition it is still not clear if he can save his marriage or when he will return to playing.


Support: Woods' mother Tida gives him a hug after the statement


Emotional: Woods held back tears as he confessed to his infidelities

Dressed in a jacket and open-necked light blue shirt, a clearly-uncomfortable Woods blamed his enormous fame for making him feel 'entitled' to cheat repeatedly on his wife and go beyond the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

‘I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that normal rules did not apply,’ he said.

'I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by - I thought I could get away with everything I wanted to.

'I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I did not have to go far to find them.


That's our boy: Kathy Battaglia (Tiger Woods Enterprises), his mother Kultida and Amy Reynolds (Nike) at Tiger Woods's extraordinary speech yesterday


'I was wrong, I was foolish, I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself, I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.'

Woods was most impassioned when defending his humiliated wife Elin Nordegren - notably absent from the proceedings - from claims that she physically attacked him after she discovered he had cheated on her.

'Elin never hit me that night or any other night,' he said.

'There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.'


Carefully stage-managed: Woods spoke for more than 13 minutes


Sombre: Woods entering the room (L) and (R) leaving, wiping tears from his eyes


Of his efforts to repair his marriage, he said: 'As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behaviour over time. We have a lot to discuss.'


'Poise and grace': Woods' wife Elin Nordegren in Florida yesterday


Woods's rehearsed and curiously robotic performance left many points undiscussed, including how and why he had felt the need to take up to 11 lovers including waitresses and surgically enhanced porn stars.

He took no questions and all but a few of the 40 people in the room at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponte Vedra, Florida, were family, friends or business associates.

After the speech he embraced his mother, Kultida, who stared at the ground for most of the apology, and a selected few family and friends.

Despite his wife's non-appearance, Woods insisted he was working to save his marriage.

He said the couple had 'begun the process of discussing the damage by my behaviour'. But he added: 'What we say to each other will remain with the two of us. I have a lot to atone for.'

He had begun his address by looking straight at the camera and saying: 'For all that I have done, I am so sorry.'

'I was unfaithful,' he said. 'I never thought about who I was hurting. I thought only about myself. I had affairs, I cheated. What I did is not acceptable. And I am the only person to blame.'

But there were also glimpses of anger, with Woods railing against the spotlight the scandal has thrown on those close to him. At one point, he appealed: 'Please leave my wife and kids alone.'

He also denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Woods said he was returning for more treatment today to the sex-addiction clinic in Mississippi where he spent nearly two months after dropping out of sight when the scandal broke.


Unfaithful: Tiger has been linked to 11 women since last November. They are: Top row, from left - Jaimee Grubbs, Holly Sampson, Jamie Jungers, Mindy Lawton. Middle row - Cori Rist, Kalika Moquin, Rachel Uchitel, Loredana Jolie. Bottom row - Theresa Rogers, Julie Postle and Joslyn James


He told how he was received therapy as an inpatient 'for the issues I am facing'.

The golfer added that he was returning to the Buddhist beliefs by which he led his early life to help him through the ordeal. 'I stopped living by the values I was taught to live upon.'


'It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do... I have a long way to go but I am taking my first steps in the right direction.

'I owe it to my family to become a better person - I owe it to those close to me to become a better man. That is what my focus will be. I have a lot of work to do and I intend to commit myself to doing it.'

He added: 'I need to regain my balance and be centred so that I can save the things that are the most important to me - my marriage and my children.'

As for golf, he said he did not know when he would return to the game although, tellingly, he would not 'rule out this year'.

'I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be,' he said.

'I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game.'

Woods's mea culpa came nearly three months after the bizarre car crash outside his Florida mansion which sent his life spinning out of control and transformed his image from perfect family man to sex-obsessed philanderer.

His only statements before yesterday had come on his website - the first a brief and qualified apology for his 'indiscretions' and the second announcing his indefinite break from golf.

He refused to give details of how many times he was unfaithful or any details about his affairs, insisting this was between him and his wife.

At the end of his prepared address, he spoke to all those who used to have faith in him and said: 'I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again.'

But even as he was attempting to draw a line under the damaging episode that has cast a huge shadow over his career, one of his alleged mistresses porn star Joslyn James was giving her own press conference.

James, who claims she had a three-year fling with the golfer, wept as she appeared at a radio station.


Former porn star Joslyn James, who claims she had an affair with Woods, is hugged by her lawyer as she watches his public statement yesterday


The revelations have already cost Woods lucrative sponsorship deals and has stretched his marriage to the limit.

Elin is now believed to have put a divorce on hold after he agreed to seek help for his sex addiction.

Yesterday's conference was part of a careful attempt to rehabilitate Woods' image and reintroduce him to the sport.


Emotional: Joslyn James weeps at her own press conference today

Two sets of pictures of the star were released this week ahead of the appearance as he returns to the public eye.

The first, on Wednesday, showed him going for a job with his personal trainer.
And yesterday, he was seen getting back into the swing of things as he practiced near to his £1.7million home in Windermere, Florida.

He was shown wearing his sponsor Nike's jumper and a personalised Nike cap decorated with his TW logo.

Elin has been living with the couple's two children, Sam, two, and one-year-old Charlie at the family home near Orlando, while her husband Woods has been holed up at another house on the same exclusive estate.

Although absent from yesterday's press conference, Elin showed solidarity with the family brand by taking her daughter to school dressed entirely in Nike gear.

Even her training shoes were made by the sports giant who have a fiver year sponsorship deal with Woods said to be worth more than £30million.

She was, however, not wearing her wedding ring.

Yesterday's statement sparked anger on the golf circuit, even before it was made, because it came in the middle of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.


The world is watching: TV crews outside Sawgrass Golf Club in Florida yesterday


Strict: Despite the waiting crews, only one camera was allowed inside


Ernie Els said: 'It is selfish, and you can write that. I feel sorry for the sponsors. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Fridays. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament.'


Accenture was the first sponsor to drop Woods after the scandal, with some observers suggesting his move to hijack the competition could be his subtle from of revenge.

But according to PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem explaining the date of the statement, there was little choice because of Woods' ongoing therapy.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, a friend of Woods, said he should say 'bye bye' to his marriage and be a 'wonderful playboy'.

The American businessman, who has been married three times, said: 'I have a whole question as to whether they should even get back together.

'It's so damaged and if the reports are just half true I would recommend Tiger just call it a bad experience, say bye-bye, go out and be a wonderful playboy and win tournaments and have a good life.

'I think the whole concept of them getting together is not in the best interest necessarily of either one. It's so badly damaged that every time they have a little argument she's going to look at him with blood pouring out of her eyes.

'I think the best thing he can do is go on his way, work hard on his game, win major championships and other championships and continue to be maybe the best golfer that ever lived.'


Back in the swing: Tiger Woods playing a round of golf on Thursday at a course near his £1.7million home in Windermere, Florida


Trump added that Woods should have spoken out far earlier and attacked his management for today's carefully-staged affair.

'The most important thing Tiger can do is get back on the golf course and win. This whole thing with sex rehabilitation, I'm not sure I'm a believer..' he said.

'Tiger will never again make the kind of money he was making because these great companies are probably never coming back no matter what happens.

'Tiger will hopefully be the greatest golfer ever again. I think the main thing is that he plays great golf and wins major championships. If he does that then not all of it is going to be forgotten, but a lot of it will be.'

Woods’s mother said after the speech: 'As a human being everyone has faults, makes mistakes and sins. We all do. But we move on when we make a mistake and learn from it. He will come out stronger, a better person.'


TIGER'S EXTRAORDINARY MEA CULPA IN FULL

Good morning, and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends.

Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me or you've worked with me or you've supported me.

Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour I engaged in.

I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And, while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say.

Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behaviour.

As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behaviour over time. We have a lot to discuss; however, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.

I am also aware of the pain my behaviour has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down, and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behaviour has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behaviour has caused considerable worry to my business partners.

To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly, the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago, my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the Learning Center students in Southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington DC, millions of kids have changed their lives, and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.

But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.

For all that I have done, I am so sorry.

I have a lot to atone for, but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night.

It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal.

Elin deserves praise, not blame.

The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behaviour. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame.

I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.

I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.

I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.

I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.

Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.

It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days from the end of December to early February, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I'm facing. I have a long way to go. But I've taken my first steps in the right direction.

As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know that as far as I'm concerned, every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife.

Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things; I did.

I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors, my commercial endorsements. When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them.

However, my behaviour doesn't make it right for the media to follow my two and a half year old daughter to school and report the school's location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.
I recognise I have brought this on myself, and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That's where my focus will be.

I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age.

People probably don't realise it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practised my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years.

Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught.

As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I've learned that's how people really do change. Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I'm making these remarks today.

In therapy I've learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centred so I can save the things that are most important to me, my marriage and my children.

That also means relying on others for help. I've learned to seek support from my peers in therapy, and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be.

I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game. In recent weeks I have received many thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me.

I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem, and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.

Finally, there are many people in this room, and there are many people at home who believed in me. Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again.
Thank you.

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Alert over zebra crossing: Escaped circus animal sparks mayhem on U.S. highway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6amXWlfCHSoendofvid
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Gotcha: Barnum & Bailey Circus workers grab Lima after his unexpected foray on to a motorway in the Georgia city of Atlanta


A motorway in the southern United States turned into a circus yesterday afternoon when an escaped zebra galloped along a busy section of interstate with police in hot pursuit.

The 12-year-old animal, named Lima, was exercising outside a downtown arena in preparation for an evening show when something spooked him, said a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus spokesman.

The zebra broke away from his trainers and bumped up against a fence, then wriggled through an opening.

Scroll down for video of Lima

'We're not sure what it was that startled him, but we're looking into that,' she said.

He was spotted by people in downtown Atlanta around 4:30pm, said a Georgia Department of Transportation spokesman.

Daniel Nance said he saw the zebra near a commuter station.

'All of a sudden a freaking zebra comes running down the street like a car,' Nance told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

'Five or six police cars were in hot pursuit. And a bunch of officers on foot. But then I got scared, thinking... what else is loose?'


Police cruisers blocked off all southbound lanes and were able to herd the zebra over to the right shoulder and off an entrance ramp


Caught out: The animal made its way through downtown to the interstate highway that cuts through the center of the city


Lima led his trainers and police on a 40-minute chase through downtown to the interstate highway that cuts through the center of the city, covering well over a mile along the way.

Police cruisers blocked off all southbound lanes of Interstate 75 and were able to herd the zebra over to the right shoulder and off an entrance ramp, where his trainer was on hand to capture and soothe him, Drake said.

'He obviously was excited, but he was in good shape,' Drake said. 'His handler calmed him down.'

The animal suffered cuts on his hooves from his long run, Drake said. The show's vet was examining him, but Drake said he would likely perform as scheduled.
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The six-month-old baby who learnt to walk before he could crawl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQcVllWpwGsendofvid
[starttext]
Child prodigy: Baby Xavier is tottering unaided at the age of just six months


A baby has stunned his parents and medical experts by wobbling to his feet and walking unaided at the age of just six months.

Baby prodigy Xavier can now walk over six feet without any support - a feat most one-year-olds still struggle with.

His parents Mary, 30, and David King, 27, said they knew their son was going to be a fast learner when he started sitting up on his own at three-months-old


But they were astonished when little Xavier first started tottering around the front room in January.

His precocious walking ability is all the more surprising considering he is only just learning to crawl.

First-time mum Mary, from Cambridge, said: 'It was such a shock. We couldn't believe it.

'I never thought for one moment he would be walking at six months most children don't until they are a year old.

'Xavier is more advanced than most babies his age. We go to a day nursery and the children there can't even walk and they are older than him.

'At the moment he can walk about two metres unaided it was just amazing when he got up and start putting one leg in front of the other.


Mary and David King say they always knew their son would be a fast learner as he could sit up from the age of three months

'The only problem now is that I can't leave him alone so have had to buy a play pen so he doesn't get into any mischief.'

Xavier, now aged seven months, was born in July last year weighing 9lb 1oz.

By October he was sitting up by himself and he started walking unaided last month.

Mary said neither she or David, a shopping centre manager, started walking until they were at least a year old.


The comedic value of babies walking before they are meant to was realised in the recent Evian TV advert. It featured computer generated images of babies break-dancing in a park


She added: 'It was amazing but we always knew he would be a fast learner.

'I think using the bouncing chair has built up the muscles in his legs but it's funny how he learned to walk before he learned to crawl.

'I always thought it would be the other way around.'

Child development experts confirmed it was 'extremely uncommon' for a child to start walking at such a young age.

Dr Martin Ward Platt, consultant paediatrician at Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, said: 'It's very unusual to be walking at such a young age.

'To be quite so precocious with your walking is extremely uncommon, but with 700,000 babies delivered every in the UK it will happen from time to time.

'For his parents, having to cope with a much more mobile child much earlier than expected simply brings forward the moment you need eyes in the back of your head.'
And here's what some babies can do with a little computer jiggery-pokery...
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