Cat burglar on the loose in Luton

Dennis the cat burglar

There's a cat burglar on the loose in Luton, and he's been caught on camera.

Denis the cat has been stealing all sorts of things like flip flops and pants from people's gardens and bringing them back to his owner.

Some of the things are so big he struggles to get them through the catflap.

Now his theft has been discovered he has become a bit of a hit on the internet.

36 giant African land snails seized at airport

Really huge!

A man's been stopped from smuggling 36 giant snails into Scotland.

The live giant African land snails were seized by border control officers at Glasgow Airport.

The were found in the suitcase of a Nigerian man who said he was bringing them into the country to eat.

The snails were found in his luggage after he took a flight from Amsterdam earlier this month.

The snails are about 15cm in length, with shells the size of a small human fist.

You need a special license to bring live animals into the country, which the man did not have.

The snails were seized and passed on to a rescue organisation.

Murdo MacMillan, from Border Force in Scotland, said:

"Our officers at Glasgow airport stopped these snails from entering Scotland, and possibly posing a risk to our native plants and wildlife."

The world's first liliger cub, a cross between a lion and a liger, has been born

A new kind of animal, called a Liliger, has been born in Russia.

Her dad is an African lion but her mum is a liger - a cross between a lion and a tiger, making her the world's first known "liliger."

The baby big cat has been named Kiara and was born in a zoo.

Zoo worker Rostislav Shilo said: "I think she has more tiger traits than lion traits."

To make things even more confusing, Kiara is being raised by an ordinary domestic cat because her mother couldn't provide enough milk to feed her hungry cub.

Kiara is fed milk every three hours by her keepers and receives motherly love from the domestic cat.

From CBBC

Deadly funnel-web spiders wanted in Australian appeal

Ever fancied collecting deadly spiders? People in Australia are being asked to catch them to help doctors!

The venom of funnel-web spiders - the world's deadliest - is needed for turning into medicine called antivenom.

The medicine can then save the lives of people who've been bitten by poisonous insects.

The Australian Reptile Park in Sydney needs more antivenom after bad weather left them with a shortage of funnel-web spiders.

Julie Mendezona from the Reptile Park said usually, they tell people to leave dangerous animals alone.

She added: "But, it is really important we turn to the community to actually obtain our funnel-webs. It's the most productive way for us to get these animals."

Spiders like this tarantula have venom which can be used to treat diseases

The experts get the venom by stroking the spider's sharp fangs and sucking it out through a tiny pipe.

They have to do it 70 times to make enough for just one dose of the antivenom.

For the last few years, the venom from creatures including tarantulas, snakes, scorpions and centipedes has been used by scientists in Australia to search for cures to diseases like cancer.

From CBBC- animals

New York City bans the sale of supersize fizzy drinks

Fizzy drinks are UNHEALTHY!

They must be consumed moderatly because they contain too much sugar

New York City has become the first place in the United States to ban the sale of supersize sugary drinks.

The new law will make it illegal to sell fizzy drinks in cups bigger than half a litre (0,5l)

The city's Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, wanted to bring in the ban to tackle obesity but lots of people aren't happy about it.

One New York business owner said: "We are smart enough to make our own decisions about what to eat and drink."

Groups who are against the new law say they'll continue to fight against it being introduced.

Diet drinks and fruit juices aren't included in the ban so can still be sold in bigger sizes.

Restaurants who break the rules could be fined up to £12.

Well done!

From CBBC

It´s time to go back to school

Hi kids!

It´s time you get ready to go back to school.

I wish you all a successful school year!
Never forget I will always be there to help you.
Kisses from your teacher,
Mª Dulce Branquinho

British Wildlife Photography Award winners 2012 - National News - News - Videos & Pics

These were the winners in some of the categories. Click on the link to see the complete slideshow

British Wildlife Photography Award winners 2012 - National News - News - Videos & Pics

One Direction win three MTV VMAs for Beautiful video

One Direction stole the show at the MTV Music Video Awards, taking away THREE prizes!

What Makes You Beautiful won the boys Best Pop Video and Most Share-worthy Video, as well as Best New Artist.

Niall said: "We've grown up watching this show and to even be here is an honour, and to collect one of these on behalf of our fans is absolutely incredible."

1D performed One Thing to screaming fans at the event in Los Angeles, USA.

One Direction are big news in America. Their debut album went straight to number one there in March - the first ever British group to do so.

Rihanna grabbed the big prize of the night - Video of the Year for her hit with Calvin Harris, We Found Love.

From CBBC Newsround

dancing cop treats motorists

The moonwalk may have been made famous by Michael Jackson, but one policeman has taken it to a different level.

Drivers and pedestrians on a busy street in the US city of Charlotte, North Carolina were entertained by a street dancer.. sort of!

But you probably won't see this on Alesha's Street Dance Stars.

The traffic policeman kept the traffic moving by busting a few moves of his own.

Just watch him!

Pulling off a routine inspired by King of Pop Michael Jackson, the moonwalking cop helped cheer up motorists as they navigated their through the city centre.

It was captured on film and later uploaded onto video-sharing website YouTube where it has received thousands of hits.

The bald headed law enforcer is believed to be part of a group of SWAT officers appointed as temporary traffic marshals for the DNC event.

A number of officers dancing on the beat have been reported across the city since the start of the convention where current U.S. President Barack Obama will formally accept his Democratic nomination.

Last month a policeman entered into the Olympic spirit entertaining crowds along the torch relay route with some robotic dance moves and break-dancing.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/911008-dancing-traffic-cop-entertains-dmc-crowds#ixzz25pgEJNdz

Argentina's 'miracle' baby Luz Milagros leaves hospital

A baby girl found alive in a morgue in Argentina hours after being declared dead has gone home for the first time.

The five-month-old Luz Milagros, or "Miracle Light", is in a stable condition but still uses a tube for feeding and breathing.

Mother Analia Boutet and her husband had been told the premature baby was stillborn on 3 April.

But when they went to a refrigerated morgue 12 hours later, they found the little girl trembling in the coffin.

The baby was born in the north-eastern city of Resistencia - three months before the due date and weighing only 780g (1.7lb).

Name change

Luz Milagros left the hospital in her mother's arms on Friday and arrived home for the first time in the nearby town of Fontana.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

I fell to my knees. My husband didn't know what to do. We were just crying and I laughed and cried”

Analia Boutetmother

The baby earlier spent 10 weeks recovering in a hospital in Buenos Aires and then at a specialist unit in Resistencia.

Doctors, however, warn that she remains fragile and will continue to need medical assistance.

Back in April, Mrs Boutet described the moment she found out her daughter was still alive: "I moved the coverings aside... and I touched her hand and then uncovered her face. That's where I heard a tiny little cry".

"I fell to my knees. My husband didn't know what to do. We were just crying and I laughed and cried, cries and laughter."

The parents had planned to name her Lucia Abigail, but decided to change the name after the baby's "miracle" survival.

'Mystery' stick insect discovered

                                        Conlephasma enigma: a stick insect unlike any other

A mysterious new species of stick insect has been discovered living in the Philippines by scientists.

The stick insect is wingless, lives on the ground rather than in trees, and is spectacularly coloured, having a green-blue head and orange body.

The insect also vents a foul-smelling spray to deter predators.

The stick insect is so unique that scientists have given it its own genus and do not yet know its relationship to other stick and leaf insects.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

It looked so different from any other known stick insect in the world that we immediately realised it was something very special”

Entomologist Marco Gottardo of the University of Siena, Italy

"Recently a colleague, entomologist Oskar Conle, showed us some museum specimens of a strange-looking stick insect found several years ago on Mount Halcon, a remote locality in the Philippine island of Mindoro," explains Marco Gottardo, who is studying for a PhD at the University of Siena, Italy.

The insect was found on the third highest mountain in the archipelago, which is considered one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world.

"We were baffled. It looked so different from any other known stick insect in the world that we immediately realised it was something very special."

Mr Gottardo and colleague Philipp Heller carefully examined the specimen.

"We concluded that it represented an unknown genus and species of stick insect," Mr Gottardo told BBC Nature.

From BBC News

Coconut oil could combat tooth decay

Coconut oil attacks the bacteria behind tooth decay and could be used in dental care products, according to research.

Scientists found that coconut oil which had been treated with enzymes stopped the growth of Streptococcus bacteria - a major cause of tooth decay.

Tooth decay affects 60% to 90% of children in industralised countries.

Speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's conference, the Irish researchers say that coconut oil also attacks the yeast which causes thrush.

The research team from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland tested the impact of coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil in their natural states and when treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion.

The oils were then tested against Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth.

Only the enzyme-modified coconut oil showed an ability to inhibit the growth of most strains of the bacteria.

It also attacked Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium which is a major cause of tooth decay

From BBC News - Health

Boyband One Direction are already global superstars but now they've gone one better with their own comic book.

It's now even easier to get your hands on the boys as they've all been made into cartoon characters.

The book will tell the story of their rise to stardom- from X Factor contestants to sold-out concerts.

Niall, Zayn, Liam and Harry will each have their own page and the group's boss Simon Cowell will even make an appearance.

The boys will join the likes of Katy Perry and Madonna who have also had comics made about their lives.

You'll be able to get your hands on a copy soon- it'll be hitting stores and going online.

From CBBC

Northumberlandia: The naked lady of Cramlington

Northumberlandia, also known as "The Lady of The North" is a piece of public art built into the landscape of Cramlington in Northumberland.

Planned for seven years and built over two, she is the largest landscape replica of the female body ever seen in the world, her creators say.

She stands 112ft (34m) high at her tallest point, her forehead, and is 1,300ft (400m) long.

She is made up of 1.5m tonnes of rock, soil, stone and clay.

During a visit to the site last year, Charles Jencks, who began his designs for Northumberlandia in 2005, admitted the artwork was "much bigger than I ever thought".

Her creation was part of the planning application made by the Banks Group and Blagdon Estate when they requested to create what is now the largest surface mine in England, Shotton Surface Mine.

Made from the by-products of that opencast mine, the figure is created in layers.

First is a core of rock, then clay and lastly soil, topped with grass seed that will withstand being walked on.

Some of her features are artistically highlighted with stone from the mine that is often used for the restoration of old buildings.

The privately funded figure has been created on private land that will be open to the public when Northumberlandia is ready to be officially revealed to the world, at a ceremony attended by Princess Anne on Monday.

Katie Perkin, communications manager for the Banks Group, said: "It cost £3m for us to create Northumberlandia. We wanted to give something back.

From BBC News