thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Jos Buttler apologises for Vernon Philander remark that cost him 15 per cent of his second Test matc

Jos Buttler apologises for Vernon Philander remark that cost him 15 per cent of his second Test match fee

Jos Buttler has apologised after stump microphones caught him swearing at South Africa ’ s Vernon Philander during the closing stages of England ’ s victory in the second Test at Cape Town .
Buttler was recorded calling Philander a “ f -- -- -- k -- -- -- - ” and appeared to make derogatory remarks about his weight .
The England wicketkeeper was fined 15 per cent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council , and had one demerit point added to his record for the comments .
“ Obviously I ’ ll take the slap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role models you can ’ t get away with using language like that , and to Vernon , ” Buttler said in Port Elizabeth , as England prepare for the third Test which begins on Thursday .
“ Hopefully I can move on now , and look forward to the next game.
” Buttler said that he had yet to speak to Philander .
“ I think if I see him I ’ ll just say I ’ m sorry , ” Buttler said , denying that he had any issues with Philander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think it was one of those moments .
The ball hit me in the head and I lost my head for 20 seconds.
” Buttler admitted “ maybe there ’ s a side , ” to him which reveals itself at times during high-pressure moments in games .
`` I remember saying in Bangladesh that maybe you guys don ’ t know me as well as you think .
I ’ ll wash my mouth out with some soap.
” Players would rather the stump microphones were not used , Buttler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a bit of a debate for a while now , whether they should be up all the time or on and off , or off completely .
I think as players we ’ d probably like it to be off , and then what goes on the field can stay on the field .
But that shouldn ’ t mean things can get out of hand .
Then for viewers at home it probably adds a lot for the viewership .
It ’ s a tough one but players would probably like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 and 23 in England ’ s series-levelling victory in the second Test , two innings played at a high tempo .
He hopes to continue playing in the same way for the rest of the series .

Jos Buttler has apologised after stump microphones caught him swearing at South Africa’s Vernon Philander during the closing stages of England’s victory in the second Test at Cape Town. Buttler was recorded calling Philander a “f------ k-------” and appeared to make derogatory remarks about his weight. The England wicketkeeper was fined 15 per cent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council, and had one demerit point added to his record for the comments.
“Obviously I’ll take the slap on the wrists and understand that as role models you can’t get away with using language like that, and to Vernon,” Buttler said in Port Elizabeth, as England prepare for the third Test which begins on Thursday. “Hopefully I can move on now, and look forward to the next game.”
Buttler said that he had yet to speak to Philander. “I think if I see him I’ll just say I’m sorry,” Buttler said, denying that he had any issues with Philander, a former team-mate at Somerset. “I think it was one of those moments. The ball hit me in the head and I lost my head for 20 seconds.”
Buttler admitted “maybe there’s a side,” to him which reveals itself at times during high-pressure moments in games. "I remember saying in Bangladesh that maybe you guys don’t know me as well as you think. I’ll wash my mouth out with some soap.”


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Exclusive: ICC consider expanding T20 World Cup to 20 teams

The International Cricket Council are considering increasing the number of teams in the men ’ s T20 World Cup to 20 , Telegraph Sport can reveal .
There are currently 16 teams in the T20 World Cup - the next edition of which will take place in Australia this July - but the ICC is mulling over increasing this number as part of broader discussions for the shape of the international cricket calendar from 2023-2031 .
The first T20 World Cup in this cycle is scheduled for 2024 , meaning this stands to be the first to use a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if the T20 World Cup were expanded to 20 teams , several options are being considered for the format of the competition .
One option is for all 20 teams to enter at the same stage , meaning that a simple format of four groups of five teams each could be used , with leading teams then advancing to the knockout stages .
Alternatively , the two-tier format currently used in the T20 World Cup - with leading countries only joining the tournament in the second stage , and other countries having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to join them - could be persisted with .
The additional countries would then feed into an enlarged opening stage of the tournament .
The ICC views the T20 format as the best way to globalise the sport .
With other major international sports aggressively increasing the number of teams in their leading competitions - the Football World Cup will expand to 48 teams from 2026 , while the Basketball World Cup now comprises 32 teams - expanding the T20 World Cup is a way for cricket to try and keep @ @

The International Cricket Council are considering increasing the number of teams in the men’s T20 World Cup to 20, Telegraph Sport can reveal.
There are currently 16 teams in the T20 World Cup - the next edition of which will take place in Australia this October - but the ICC is mulling over increasing this number as part of broader discussions for the shape of the international cricket calendar from 2023-2031. The first T20 World Cup in this cycle is scheduled for 2024, meaning this stands to be the first to use a new 20-team format.
It is understood that, if the T20 World Cup were expanded to 20 teams, several options are being considered for the format of the competition. One option is for all 20 teams to enter at the same stage, meaning that a simple format of four groups of five teams each could be used, with leading teams then advancing to the knockout stages.
Alternatively, the two-tier format currently used in the T20 World Cup - with leading countries only joining the tournament in the second stage, and other countries having to qualify from the first stage for the right to join them - could be persisted with. The additional countries would then feed into an enlarged opening stage of the tournament.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--GCHQ warns not to use Windows 7 computers for banking or email after Tuesday

GCHQ has warned people not to do internet banking or use emails from computers with Windows 7 from Tuesday , when Microsoft will end support for the software .
The National Cyber Security Centre ( NCSC ) , the public-facing arm of the cyber spy agency , said that devices still using the operating system after next week will become increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks as the tech giant stops patching weaknesses in its product .
Microsoft announced last year that it would be ceasing technical support for Windows 7 and urged users to upgrade to its Windows 10 system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated that there are still more than 440 million people using Windows 7 worldwide , which was first released in 2009 .
A spokesperson for the NCSC said : “ The NCSC would encourage people to upgrade devices currently running Windows 7 , allowing them to continue receiving software updates which help protect their devices .
“ We would urge those using the software after the deadline to replace unsupported devices as soon as possible , to move sensitive data to a supported device and not to use them for tasks like accessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They should also consider accessing email from a different device.
” The national security agency warned that after Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in 2014 that hackers soon started exploiting weaknesses in the system .

GCHQ has warned people not to do internet banking or use emails from computers with Windows 7 from Tuesday, when Microsoft will end support for the software.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the public-facing arm of the cyber spy agency, said that devices still using the operating system after next week will become increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks as the tech giant stops patching weaknesses in its product.
Microsoft announced last year that it would be ceasing technical support for Windows 7 and urged users to upgrade to its Windows 10 system, which costs £120.
It is estimated that there are still more than 440 million people using Windows 7 worldwide, which was first released in 2009.
A spokesperson for the NCSC said: “The NCSC would encourage people to upgrade devices currently running Windows 7, allowing them to continue receiving software updates which help protect their devices.
“We would urge those using the software after the deadline to replace unsupported devices as soon as possible, to move sensitive data to a supported device and not to use them for tasks like accessing bank and other sensitive accounts.
"They should also consider accessing email from a different device.”
The national security agency warned that after Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in 2014 that hackers soon started exploiting weaknesses in the system.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Slack CTO Cal Henderson: 'UK tech would be more successful if not for its cynicism towards trying ne

Slack CTO Cal Henderson: 'UK tech would be more successful if not for its cynicism towards trying new things'

Apart from his beard , Cal Henderson does not remotely resemble Sir Richard Branson .
Now 38-years-old , as chief technology officer of workplace messaging firm Slack , he walks three miles through San Francisco to work each day while listening to audiobooks at double or triple speed , helping to run a fast-growing tech darling whose executives would not be caught dead in a Union Kack two-piece suit .
Yet when Henderson was growing up in Bedfordshire in the Eighties and Nineties , Branson was the only model he had for what an entrepreneur might look like – a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to emulate .
For Henderson , that is a symptom of how Britain ’ s pervasive “ default cynicism ” towards innovation is holding it back .
“ If I had started a tech company in the UK , my friends and family would have said : why don ’ t you get a real job ?
” Henderson says at Slack ’ s elegantly appointed downtown headquarters .
“ And then , when it inevitably failed , the reaction would have been : well of course it failed – now you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do the same thing in San Francisco , the reaction to your company failing is : what did you learn from it and what are you going to do next ?
”

Homegrown Tech Talent is a series that celebrates the British entrepreneurs and business leaders taking tech global – here, we meet Slack chief technology officer Cal Henderson.
Apart from his beard, Cal Henderson does not remotely resemble Sir Richard Branson. Now 38 years old, as chief technology officer and co-founder of workplace messaging firm Slack, he walks three miles through San Francisco to work each day while listening to audiobooks at double or triple speed, helping to run a fast-growing tech darling whose executives would not be caught dead in a Union Jack two-piece suit.
Yet when Henderson was growing up in Bedfordshire in the Eighties and Nineties, Branson was the only model he had for what an entrepreneur might look like – a “weird” figure that few hoped to emulate. For Henderson, that is a symptom of how Britain’s pervasive “default cynicism” towards innovation is holding it back. “If I had started a tech company in the UK, my friends and family would have said: why don’t you get a real job?” Henderson says at Slack’s elegantly appointed downtown headquarters.
“And then, when it inevitably failed, the reaction would have been: well of course it failed – now you can get a real job. But If you do the same thing in San Francisco, the reaction to your company failing is: what did you learn from it and what are you going to do next?”


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Watford dismantle soft-centred Bournemouth who continue to plummet

Graham Taylor , the greatest manager in Watford history , died on Jan 12 2017 .
There could have been no better way to mark the third anniversary of the great man ’ s passing than for the club he built to secure the victory which took them out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time this season .
And for the travelling supporters , there was no question who they deem responsible for the upward momentum newly infecting their favourites .
“ We ’ ve got super Nigel Pearson , ” they sang throughout this win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager at Vicarage Road this season has now delivered 13 points in six games since being appointed .
From looking already marooned , under him Watford are destined for mid table .
“ I ’ m sure he would have been proud of that performance , ” said Pearson afterwards of his predecessor .
“ But there are so many games left , it would be foolish to think the job is done .
There ’ s an awful long way to go .
But what ’ s really pleased me is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge with such a positive mindset .
It ’ s vital now to maintain our focus.
” For their opponents , the view ahead is very different .
Bournemouth have accrued just four points from 10 games since beating Manchester United in September .
And in truth , despite the return of their best player Nathan Ake after a six-week absence , such is the downward trajectory of their form , they never for a moment looked like doing anything other than losing .
From the kick-off the pattern of this match was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more muscular , more equipped for the scrap .
Brilliantly organised by Pearson , their sizable midfield dominated play from first to last .
Not remotely shy of the foul , they broke up all attempt by Bournemouth to create continuity .
In the process , the home side looked increasingly wretched ; scrappy was the kindest adjective to describe their play .
Dominic Solanke was abject up front , Harry Wilson a luxury , Ryan Fraser appears to have entirely misplaced the fizz that made him such a threat last season .

Graham Taylor, the greatest manager in Watford history, died on Jan 12 2017. There could have been no better way to mark the third anniversary of the great man’s passing than for the club he built to secure the victory which took them out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time this season. And for the travelling supporters, there was no question who they deem responsible for the upward momentum newly infecting their favourites.
“We’ve got super Nigel Pearson,” they sang throughout this win. And no wonder. The third manager at Vicarage Road this season has now delivered 13 points in six games since being appointed. From looking already marooned, under him Watford are destined for mid table.
“I’m sure he would have been proud of that performance,” said Pearson afterwards of his predecessor. “But there are so many games left, it would be foolish to think the job is done. There’s an awful long way to go. But what’s really pleased me is the way the players have taken on the challenge with such a positive mindset. It’s vital now to maintain our focus.”
For their opponents, the view ahead is very different. Bournemouth have accrued just four points from 10 games since beating Manchester United in September. And in truth, despite the return of their best player Nathan Ake after a six-week absence, such is the downward trajectory of their form, they never for a moment looked like doing anything other than losing.
From the kick-off the pattern of this match was clear: Watford just looked bigger, more muscular, more equipped for the scrap. Brilliantly organised by Pearson, their sizable midfield dominated play from first to last. Not remotely shy of the foul, they broke up all attempt by Bournemouth to create continuity. In the process, the home side looked increasingly wretched; scrappy was the kindest adjective to describe their play. Dominic Solanke was abject up front, Harry Wilson a luxury, Ryan Fraser appears to have entirely misplaced the fizz that made him such a threat last season.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Fly me - and a girlfriend - to the moon: Japanese billionaire seeks female companion for lunar trip

As lonely hearts messages go , the appeal by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will take some beating .
The 44-year-old fashion entrepreneur is looking for a girlfriend who will accompany him on a trip around the moon .
Mr Maezawa is scheduled to be the first private passenger on Elon Musk 's SpaceX , which is due to make its inaugural lunar trip in 2023 .
The father of three , who recently split up from his actress girlfriend Ayame Goriki , 27 , has decided he does not want to make the journey alone .
So to paraphrase the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frank Sinatra , he wants a companion to “ play among the stars ” .
Mr Maezawa has made a plea on his website for a woman to join him on what will be the trip of a lifetime .
“ As feelings of loneliness and emptiness slowly begin to surge upon me , there ’ s one thing that I think about : continuing to love one woman , ” he wrote on his website .
“ I want to find a ‘ life partner ’ .
With that future partner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love and world peace from outer space , ” he added .
Applicants must also be “ be interested in going into space and able to participate in the preparation for it ” and also “ be someone who wishes for world peace ” .

As lonely hearts messages go, the appeal by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will take some beating.
The 44-year-old fashion entrepreneur is looking for a girlfriend who will accompany him on a trip around the moon.
Mr Maezawa is scheduled to be the first private passenger on Elon Musk's SpaceX, which is due to make its inaugural lunar trip in 2023.
The father of three, who recently split up from his actress girlfriend Ayame Goriki, 27, has decided he does not want to make the journey alone.
So to paraphrase the words of the song made famous by Frank Sinatra, he wants a companion to “play among the stars”.
Mr Maezawa has made a plea on his website for a woman to join him on what will be the trip of a lifetime.
“As feelings of loneliness and emptiness slowly begin to surge upon me, there’s one thing that I think about: continuing to love one woman,” he wrote on his website.
“I want to find a ‘life partner’. With that future partner of mine, I want to shout our love and world peace from outer space,” he added.
Applicants must also be “be interested in going into space and able to participate in the preparation for it” and also “be someone who wishes for world peace”.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Iran's only female Olympic medalist defects, saying she was oppressed

Iran 's only female Olympic medalist has said on social media she had left her homeland because she had had enough of being used by its authorities as a propaganda tool .
Taekwondo champion Kimia Alizadeh , who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics , implied in an Instagram post that she had moved to Europe .
She wrote the message on her Instagram page , but it was not immediately possible to verify her location .
`` No one has invited me to Europe and I have n't been given a tempting offer .
But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I did n't want to be part of hypocrisy , lies , injustice and flattery , '' she said .
Mahin Farhadizadeh , a deputy Iranian sports minister , said : `` I have not read Kimia 's post , but as far as I know she always wanted to continue her studies in physiotherapy , '' the semi-official ISNA news agency reported .
Alizadeh said the Islamic Republic 's authorities had attributed her success to their management and the fact that she wore the Islamic veil , which is obligatory in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the millions of oppressed women in Iran whom they 've been playing for years ...
I wore whatever they told me and repeated whatever they ordered .
Every sentence they ordered I repeated , '' she wrote .

Iran's only female Olympic medalist has said on social media she had left her homeland because she had had enough of being used by its authorities as a propaganda tool.
Taekwondo champion Kimia Alizadeh, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, implied in an Instagram post that she had moved to Europe.
She wrote the message on her Instagram page, but it was not immediately possible to verify her location.
"No one has invited me to Europe and I haven't been given a tempting offer. But I accept the pain and hardship of homesickness because I didn't want to be part of hypocrisy, lies, injustice and flattery," she said.
Mahin Farhadizadeh, a deputy Iranian sports minister, said: "I have not read Kimia's post, but as far as I know she always wanted to continue her studies in physiotherapy," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
Alizadeh said the Islamic Republic's authorities had attributed her success to their management and the fact that she wore the Islamic veil, which is obligatory in Iran.
"I am one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran whom they've been playing for years... I wore whatever they told me and repeated whatever they ordered. Every sentence they ordered I repeated," she wrote.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal as Serbia claim victory at successful first ATP Cup

Tennis ’ s newest tournament concluded with its longest-running rivalry , as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic did battle for the inaugural ATP Cup .
The 55th contest between the world ’ s two top players produced another high-class encounter .
But Djokovic usually has the upper hand on a hard court .
Backed by a turbocharged Serbo-Australian crowd , he squeezed out a 6-2 , 7-6 victory that helped Serbia claim the first edition of this event .
With every seat in the 10,500-capacity Ken Rosewall Arena occupied , the mood was reminiscent of a Davis Cup tie in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Djokovic .
He is used to being the villain – from the crowd ’ s perspective – when he faces a rival member of the Big Three .
But this time he got to play the hero as he followed up his singles victory by claiming the decisive doubles rubber alongside his old friend Viktor Troicki .
The last train back into central Sydney left Homebush – site of the 2000 Olympics – as the doubles players warmed up shortly before midnight .
Excessively late finishes have been part of the furniture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no logical reason why the first singles match – in which Roberto Bautista Agut swept past Dusan Lajovic by a 7-5 , 6-1 margin – should have been scheduled to start as late as 6.30pm .

Tennis’s newest tournament concluded with its longest-running rivalry, as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic did battle for the inaugural ATP Cup.
The 55th contest between the world’s two top players produced another high-class encounter. But Djokovic usually has the upper hand on a hard court. Backed by a turbocharged Serbo-Australian crowd, he squeezed out a 6-2, 7-6 victory that helped Serbia claim the first edition of this event.
With every seat in the 10,500-capacity Ken Rosewall Arena occupied, the mood was reminiscent of a Davis Cup tie in Belgrade. Which was a welcome bonus for Djokovic. He is used to being the villain – from the crowd’s perspective – when he faces a rival member of the Big Three. But this time he got to play the hero as he followed up his singles victory by claiming the decisive doubles rubber alongside his old friend Viktor Troicki.
The last train back into central Sydney left Homebush – site of the 2000 Olympics – as the doubles players warmed up shortly before midnight. Excessively late finishes have been part of the furniture here this week, and there was no logical reason why the first singles match – in which Roberto Bautista Agut swept past Dusan Lajovic by a 7-5, 6-1 margin – should have been scheduled to start as late as 6.30pm.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Serena Williams delight as she kicks off new season by ending three-year title drought

Serena Williams spoke of her sense of relief after opening the new tennis season with her first singles title for almost three years .
In Auckland on Sunday , she overcame fellow American Jessica Pegula in straight sets : 6-3 , 6-4 .
The result has convinced the world ’ s bookmakers that the next month could be the moment when Williams finally equals Margaret Court ’ s record of 24 majors .
Her odds to win the Australian Open , which begins a week on Monday , have been slashed to 9-2 , while everyone else is at around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earned a glowing tribute from United States president Donald Trump .
“ Congratulations to Serena Williams on another big win , ” he said on Twitter .
“ She is a great player and an even greater person.
” Williams was satisfied with her work .
“ It feels good , ” said Williams .
“ It 's been a long time , I think you could see the relief on my faces .
I have been playing for so long and been through so much and I 'm happy to be doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great source of disappointment for Williams since she beat sister Venus to lift the 2017 Australian Open crown .
Remarkably , she did it while eight weeks pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia .

Serena Williams spoke of her sense of relief after opening the new tennis season with her first singles title for almost three years. In Auckland on Sunday, she overcame fellow American Jessica Pegula in straight sets: 6-3, 6-4.
The result has convinced the world’s bookmakers that the next month could be the moment when Williams finally equals Margaret Court’s record of 24 majors. Her odds to win the Australian Open, which begins a week on Monday, have been slashed to 9-2, while everyone else is at around 8-1 or more.
The victory also earned a glowing tribute from United States president Donald Trump. “Congratulations to Serena Williams on another big win,” he said on Twitter. “She is a great player and an even greater person.” Williams was satisfied with her work.
“It feels good,” said Williams. “It's been a long time, I think you could see the relief on my faces. I have been playing for so long and been through so much and I'm happy to be doing something I love.”
Finals have been a great source of disappointment for Williams since she beat sister Venus to lift the 2017 Australian Open crown. Remarkably, she did it while eight weeks pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Gillian Anderson says it would “be the end” of her relationship with playwright partner if they live

Gillian Anderson says it would “be the end” of her relationship with playwright partner if they lived together

Gillian Anderson has said that it would “ be the end ” of her relationship with her playwright partner if they lived together , as their separate homes means she is free from doing his household chores .
The X-Files star revealed that her and her partner the playwright , screenwriter and creator of Netflix ’ s The Crown Peter Morgan , do not live together despite having been in a relationship for three years .
“ My partner and I do n't live together .
If we did , that would be the end of us , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times Style magazine .
Anderson , who has been married twice before said their living arrangement meant it “ feels so special when we do come together ” .
She added that by remaining in separate households ( Anderson has three children and Morgan has five ) she didn ’ t have the fear of losing her house - or having to pick up his dirty laundry .
“ There is nothing locking us in , nothing that brings up that fear of `` oh gosh , I ca n't leave because what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will we separate ? ''
“ I start to miss the person I want to be with , which is a lovely feeling .
“ And it is so huge for me to be able to see a pair of trousers left lying on the floor at my partner 's house and to step over them and not feel it is my job to do something about it , ” she said .

Gillian Anderson has said that it would “be the end” of her relationship with her playwright partner if they lived together, as their separate homes means she is free from doing his household chores.
The X-Files star revealed that her and her partner the playwright, screenwriter and creator of Netflix’s The Crown Peter Morgan, do not live together despite having been in a relationship for three years.
“My partner and I don't live together. If we did, that would be the end of us,” she said in an interview with The Sunday Times Style magazine.
Anderson, who has been married twice before said their living arrangement meant it “feels so special when we do come together”.
She added that by remaining in separate households (Anderson has three children and Morgan has five) she didn’t have the fear of losing her house - or having to pick up his dirty laundry.
“There is nothing locking us in, nothing that brings up that fear of "oh gosh, I can't leave because what will happen to the house, how will we separate?"
“I start to miss the person I want to be with, which is a lovely feeling.
“And it is so huge for me to be able to see a pair of trousers left lying on the floor at my partner's house and to step over them and not feel it is my job to do something about it,” she said.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Andy Murray was left 'devastated' when his childhood hamster disappeared down his sink plughole

Andy Murray was left “ devastated ” when his childhood hamster disappeared down his sink plughole .
Murray has spoken about his anguish that his childhood pet , named Whisky , who he would spend hours playing with , “ escaped ” down his bedroom sink when he was ten .
“ I remember wanting a pet - my grandparents had a golden retriever called Abby , who I loved dearly - and went on and on at my parents to get me one .
“ When I was 10 , Mum let me have a hamster .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend hours playing , feeding and watching him , ” he told The Sunday Times .
He continued : “ We had a big old fashioned sink in our bedroom .
“ One day , I constructed a rig up to the basin , which he could then play in .
It was fine for a few weeks until he escaped down the plughole .
I was devastated .
“ Every night I ’ d leave out cheese , and every morning it would be gone , but , sadly , I never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his children Sophia , 3 , Edie , 2 and newborn son Teddy , with wife Kim , do not have any pet hamsters .
Instead , the family , who live in Oxshott , Surrey , have two border terriers , Maggie May and Rusty .

Andy Murray was left “devastated” when his childhood hamster disappeared down his sink plughole.
Murray has spoken about his anguish that his childhood pet, named Whisky, who he would spend hours playing with, “escaped” down his bedroom sink when he was ten.
“I remember wanting a pet - my grandparents had a golden retriever called Abby, who I loved dearly - and went on and on at my parents to get me one.
“When I was 10, Mum let me have a hamster. He was called Whisky, and I’d spend hours playing, feeding and watching him,” he told The Sunday Times.
He continued: “We had a big old fashioned sink in our bedroom.
“One day, I constructed a rig up to the basin, which he could then play in. It was fine for a few weeks until he escaped down the plughole. I was devastated.
“Every night I’d leave out cheese, and every morning it would be gone, but, sadly, I never saw him again.”
Murray admitted that his children Sophia, 3, Edie, 2 and newborn son Teddy, with wife Kim, do not have any pet hamsters.
Instead, the family, who live in Oxshott, Surrey, have two border terriers, Maggie May and Rusty.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--The Queen is doing 'alright' ahead of Sandringham crisis summit

The Queen is said to be doing `` alright '' ahead of tomorrow 's Sandringham crisis summit , according to @ @ @ @ @ Phillips was attending a Sunday church service at the 16th century St Mary Magdalene Church @ @ @ @ @ the Queen , who was also in attendance , was bearing up .
The Queen @ @ @ @ @ senior royals and the Duke of Sussex on Monday in a bid to find a @ @ @ @ @ future roles .
Prince Charles , who is in Oman to attend a condolence ceremony @ @ @ @ @ Qaboos bin Said al Said , is expected to travel back to the UK in @ @ @ @ @ Sandringham .

The Queen is said to be doing "alright" ahead of tomorrow's Sandringham crisis summit, according to her eldest grandson.
Peter Phillips was attending a Sunday church service at the 16th century St Mary Magdalene Church when he was asked how the Queen, who was also in attendance, was bearing up.
The Princess Royal's son replied "alright".
The Queen will host crisis talks with senior royals and the Duke of Sussex on Monday in a bid to find a solution to the couple's future roles.
Prince Charles, who is in Oman to attend a condolence ceremony following the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, is expected to travel back to the UK in time for the talks at Sandringham.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--48 hours in . . . Cape Town, an insider guide to South Africa's rugged coastal city

Medical care : to find the nearest private clinic , or to contact a specialist , see netcare.co.za .
For travel-specific queries , see travelclinic.co.za Tourism offices and information : the biggest and best-staffed is the centrally located Cape Town Tourism ( 00 27 21 487 6800 ) on the corner of Burg and Castle Streets .
Mon-Fri , 8.30am-5.30pm ; Sat-Sun , 9am-1pm .
As in any large city , crime is an ongoing concern , but note that most incidents occur away from tourist areas .
That said , take the usual precautions : don ’ t flash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no-go zones ( your host or concierge will advise ) , don ’ t walk when there are no other people around , and be alert/keep a close eye ( and hand ) on your belongings .
It takes only a fraction of a second to clone a card , using a skimmer concealed in the hand .
Don ’ t let your card out of sight and keep a close eye on how it is handled .
Telephone code : From the UK , dial 00 27 for South Africa , followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within South Africa , dial 021 for Cape Town .
Wi-Fi : Most hotels and guest lodges offer free Wi-Fi , as do an increasing number of excellent coffee shops .
For a list of some of them , see redbutton.co.za ( click on 'sites ' ) .
Loading Bay ( 30 Hudson Street , De Waterkant ) ticks all the right boxes – good coffee , good food , cool people , close to Cape Quarter shopping precinct and free Wi-Fi .
If you want a bit of a sea view , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road , Mouille Point .

You really can’t overstate the case for visiting Cape Town. First, there’s the in-your-face beauty of a craggy mountain range that drops precipitously into a glittering sea, its flanks carpeted in greens and delicate florals. Then there’s the pristine white beaches lapped by – it must be said – a chilly Atlantic, their curves defined by giant granite boulders to bake on, and burbling mountain streams in dappled forests. And no visit is complete without at least one full day exploring some of the surrounding vine-carpeted valleys, their rich terroir spawning not only award-winning wines but superb produce.
Yet Cape Town has a cool urban edge, too: excellent art galleries, hip bars, world-rated restaurants, and design-savvy shops. It's also home to many of Africa's innovative artists and designers, drawn by the city's innate beauty, and with MOCAA the city is now home to the biggest repository of contemporary African art. In short, this pulsating city will leave you hungry for more.
Explore our interactive map below for all the local highlights, and scroll down for our suggested day-by-day summary of the best things to see and do...
For more Cape Town inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, bars and attractions.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Australian police offer $1 million reward for information on missing toddler Cheryl Grimmer

Police have offered one million Australian dollars for information about the abduction and suspected murder of a British toddler who @ @ @ @ @ 50 years ago .
Cheryl Grimmer , aged three , was kidnapped from a changing @ @ @ @ @ at the seaside with her mother and three brothers in 1970 , near the city @ @ @ @ @ Wales ( NSW ) .
The body of the child , originally from Bristol , @ @ @ @ @ On the 50th anniversary of her disappearance , NSW authorities upped the reward on the @ @ @ @ @ Australian dollars ( £528,000 ) for information leading to arrest and conviction .
A man @ @ @ @ @ for legal reasons , aged 16 at the time , was due to face a @ @ @ @ @ But after key evidence was ruled inadmissible , the charges against him were dropped .
@ @ @ @ @ 's interview with police from April 1971 could not be used in court because there @ @ @ @ @ adult or lawyer accompanying him , Australian media reported .

Police have offered one million Australian dollars for information about the abduction and suspected murder of a British toddler who vanished from an Australian beach 50 years ago.
Cheryl Grimmer, aged three, was kidnapped from a changing area after spending a morning at the seaside with her mother and three brothers in 1970, near the city of Wollongong in New South Wales (NSW).
The body of the child, originally from Bristol, has never been discovered.
On the 50th anniversary of her disappearance, NSW authorities upped the reward on the cold case to one million Australian dollars (£528,000) for information leading to arrest and conviction.
A man who cannot be named for legal reasons, aged 16 at the time, was due to face a murder trial last year.
But after key evidence was ruled inadmissible, the charges against him were dropped.
A judge ruled the man's interview with police from April 1971 could not be used in court because there had been no parent, adult or lawyer accompanying him, Australian media reported.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Flights cancelled and thousands evacuate as Philippine volcano threatens to erupt

A volcano near the Philippine capital Manila spewed a massive cloud of ash into the sky on Sunday , forcing @ @ @ @ @ of residents and the suspension of flights .
Government seismologists recorded magma moving towards the @ @ @ @ @ of the country 's most active volcanoes located 65 kilometres ( 40 miles ) south @ @ @ @ @ the chances of an eruption that could happen `` within days to within weeks '' @ @ @ @ @ Renato Solidum , chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology , told AFP @ @ @ @ @ was in 1977 , he added .
A kilometer-high column of ash was visible and @ @ @ @ @ within the vicinity of the volcano , which is popular among tourists for its scenic @ @

A volcano near the Philippine capital Manila spewed a massive cloud of ash into the sky on Sunday, forcing the precautionary evacuation of thousands of residents and the suspension of flights.
Government seismologists recorded magma moving towards the crater of Taal, one of the country's most active volcanoes located 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Manila.
That increases the chances of an eruption that could happen "within days to within weeks" if such activity continues, Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, told AFP.
Taal's last eruption was in 1977, he added.
A kilometer-high column of ash was visible and several volcanic tremors were felt within the vicinity of the volcano, which is popular among tourists for its scenic view.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Could overtourism kill the Komodo dragon?

It is one of nature ’ s truly heart thudding , soul shuddering experiences .
No one forgets their first sighting of a Komodo dragon in the wild .
These hulking modern day dinosaurs can kill with one bite , putting man firmly in its place .
Today , though , humans are the dragons ’ biggest threat , with the question of whether you should cruise to see them under such fierce scrutiny that a total ban on visiting Komodo Island may soon not even leave you that option .
There is really nothing like the Komodo dragons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a living dinosaur no European had ever even seen until the 20th century .
The world ’ s largest lizard is an ancient predator that has evolved little over time .
It doesn ’ t need to .
This perfect killing machine ’ s lethal bite has no anti venom , killing its prey with the lethal cocktail of bacteria it builds up within its saliva .
Young Komodos are not safe either as adults will devour them and mothers will even steal eggs from a neighbouring nest if it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed Komodo National Park ( established in 1980 ) is the only place in the world you can come face to face with Komodos in the wild .
The experience is already strictly controlled .
I recently visited both the islands of Komodo and Rinca ( they are also found on Padar ) and I wasn ’ t allowed to wander alone .
I ventured everywhere in the company of a ranger , who defended us not with a gun , but with a thin stick with a pronged end .
It feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by David Attenborough , but one in which you can hear the dragons ’ breath .

It is one of nature’s truly heart thudding, soul shuddering experiences. No one forgets their first sighting of a Komodo dragon in the wild. These hulking modern day dinosaurs can kill with one bite, putting man firmly in its place. Today, though, humans are the dragons’ biggest threat, with the question of whether you should cruise to see them under such fierce scrutiny that a total ban on visiting Komodo Island may soon not even leave you that option.
There is really nothing like the Komodo dragons, or oras as they are known locally, a living dinosaur no European had ever even seen until the 20th century. The world’s largest lizard is an ancient predator that has evolved little over time. It doesn’t need to. This perfect killing machine’s lethal bite has no anti venom, killing its prey with the lethal cocktail of bacteria it builds up within its saliva. Young Komodos are not safe either as adults will devour them and mothers will even steal eggs from a neighbouring nest if it’s left unguarded.
The Unesco World Heritage listed Komodo National Park (established in 1980) is the only place in the world you can come face to face with Komodos in the wild. The experience is already strictly controlled. I recently visited both the islands of Komodo and Rinca (they are also found on Padar) and I wasn’t allowed to wander alone. I ventured everywhere in the company of a ranger, who defended us not with a gun, but with a thin stick with a pronged end. It feels like you are in a documentary narrated by David Attenborough, but one in which you can hear the dragons’ breath.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Bruno Fernandes keen to join Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon this month

Bruno Fernandes has informed Sporting Lisbon he would like to join Manchester United this month if a deal can be struck between the clubs .
Ed Woodward , the United executive vice-chairman , and Matt Judge , the head of corporate development , held talks with the Sporting Lisbon president , Frederico Varandas , at the club ’ s Stratton Street offices in London ’ s Mayfair on Friday morning .
Varandas returned to Portugal to chew over United ’ s proposal and Fernandes remains hopeful an agreement can be reached .
Sporting were initially thought to be looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) for Fernandes but United are believed to value the 25-year-old , who has 67 goals in 133 appearances for the Portuguese club , at closer to £50m .
While United have bought a series of players from Portugal down the years , most recently Victor Lindelof from Benfica and Diogo Dalot from Porto , the club ’ s name has also often been used to try to create a market for players .
Tottenham looked tentatively at Fernandes last summer but ended up signing Giovani Lo Celso on loan from Real Betis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an auction for the Sporting man this month were damaged by Spurs targeting a loan deal for Benfica ’ s Gedson Fernandes .

Bruno Fernandes has informed Sporting Lisbon he would like to join Manchester United this month if a deal can be struck between the clubs.
Ed Woodward, the United executive vice-chairman, and Matt Judge, the head of corporate development, held talks over the attacking midfielder with the Sporting Lisbon president, Frederico Varandas, at the club’s Stratton Street offices in London’s Mayfair on Friday morning.
Negotiations are continuing, with Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese super agent, understood to be involved in helping to broker a deal. Fernandes remains hopeful an agreement can be reached.
Sporting were initially thought to be looking for as much as €80 million (£68.5m) for Fernandes but United are believed to value the 25-year-old - who has 67 goals in 133 appearances for the Portuguese club - at closer to £50m.
Tottenham looked tentatively at Fernandes last summer but ended up signing Giovani Lo Celso on loan from Real Betis and Sporting’s hopes of creating an auction for their player this month were damaged by Spurs’ pursuit of Benfica’s Gedson Fernandes.
United have kept their cards close to their chest but Sporting are known to be pushing for a deal as they seek to raise cash to ease some of their financial difficulties.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--The 10 best new technologies coming out of CES 2020, including robots and wearable devices

It is seen as the tech industry event of the year , and a window into the inventions that will @ @ @ @ @ years ahead .
But the start of the CES conference in Las Vegas was dominated @ @ @ @ @ toilet paper , a row over the appearance of Donald Trump ’ s daughter Ivanka @ @ @ @ @ reported attendee numbers .
The Consumer Technology Association ( CTA ) , the trade body @ @ @ @ @ said it expected more than 170,000 attendees and 4,400 exhibitors , a decline from the @ @ @ @ @ quoted last year .

It is seen as the tech industry event of the year, and a window into the inventions that will change our lives in the years ahead.
But the start of the CES conference in Las Vegas was dominated by a robot that ferries toilet paper, a row over the appearance of Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, and a decline in reported attendee numbers.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the trade body that runs the show, said it expected more than 170,000 attendees and 4,400 exhibitors, a decline from the 180,000 and 4,500 it had quoted last year.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Iran releases video of UK ambassador shortly before his arrest in Tehran

The diplomatic confrontation between Britain and Iran continued Monday as Iranian police released a video of the UK ambassador in @ @ @ @ @ and condemned his presence at an anti-government protest as “ unacceptable ” .
The short @ @ @ @ @ the campus of the Amir Kabir university as students began to chant slogans against the @ @ @ @ @ news that the Revolutionary Guard accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner .
Iranian police said @ @ @ @ @ that Mr Macaire had been inciting the protesters against the Iranian government .
But the @ @ @ @ @ anxious and British officials said he left the campus shortly after it was filmed .
@ @ @ @ @ ambassador had been attending a vigil for the 176 people killed on Flight PS572 and @ @ @ @ @ vigil turned into a protest .
Iranian security forces followed Mr Macaire to a barber @ @ @ @ @ later in the evening .
He was held for three hours before being released .
@ @ @ @ @ as “ a flagrant violation of international law ” .

The Foreign Office summoned Iran’s envoy to London to demand a formal apology for the arrest of the British ambassador in Tehran on Monday as the diplomatic confrontation between Iran and the UK continued.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said Hamid Baeidinejad, the Iranian ambassador in Britain, was called in so ministers could protest the “flagrant” arrest of British ambassador Rob Macaire in Tehran on Saturday.
Andrew Murrison, the Middle East Minister, said Mr Baeidinejad was given a dressing down.
Dr Murrison said: "The arrest of our ambassador to Iran was a flagrant violation of international law and it is important that Iran understands how seriously we take this matter.
"It must not be allowed to happen again. I made that clear to the Iranian ambassador this afternoon."
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday night issued a statement on the presence of UK ambassador at the vigil and his consequent brief detention, saying: “Any further and new UK mistake will be met with severe and appropriate response.”
Iranian police released a short video showing Mr Macaire on the campus of the Amir Kabir university as students protested over news that the Revolutionary Guard accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Oscars nominations 2020: what can we expect from today's announcement?

The Oscar nominations are upon us , and will be defining the shocks , flops and controversies to ricochet around Hollywood for the next few months .
Joker , 1917 , The Irishman and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood have proven to be the front-runners so far , following the Golden Globes and the Bafta nominations last week .
But the latter also brought criticism of the juries who decide upon the nominations , after no people of colour were nominated across all four Bafta acting categories and no women directors received recognition .
The Oscar nominations will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a dawn ceremony in Los Angeles .
Insecure creator Issa Rae and actor John Cho will be hosting .
There is , as ever , the potential for some major A-Listers to receive recognition for the first time : Jennifer Lopez , for instance , could well be nominated for her supporting role in stripper thriller Hustlers , while our critic Robbie Collin is prepared to riot if Adam Sandler is n't nominated for is role in Uncut Gems .
The Oscars ceremony itself will take place on February 9 .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here once they have been announced .

South Korean social satire "Parasite" won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first film not in the English language to win the movie industry's highest honor.
"Parasite," about the gap between rich and poor in modern Seoul, won a total of four Oscars, including best director and screenplay for Bong Joon Ho and best international feature.
Joaquin Phoenix won his first Oscar, for best actor, for playing a failing clown who finds fame in violence in the dark comic-book tale "Joker," and gave an impassioned speech about climate change and animal rights.
Renee Zellweger won the best actress Oscar for her performance as an ageing Judy Garland in the musical biopic "Judy."
Here is a full list of winners and nominations.
Winner and nominations in full
Best Picture
WINNER: Parasite
Ford v Ferrari
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
1917
Marriage Story
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
Joker


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Countdown to a crisis: How the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's move to 'step back' unfolded

The Duke of Sussex will come face to face with the Queen on Monday as senior royals race to thrash @ @ @ @ @ Meghan 's future .
The historic meeting at the Queen 's private Sandringham estate will @ @ @ @ @ has met with his grandmother , the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge since @ @ @ @ @ family this week , making headlines around the world .
Meghan is with their baby @ @ @ @ @ but a royal source said it is likely she will join the crisis talks by @ @ @ @ @ to Canada a few days ago where the family spent an extended festive break in @ @ @ @ @ .
With the crisis coming to a head , here is how the royal drama @ @ @ @ @ on a six-week sabbatical in Canada , where the Duchess formerly lived and still has @ @ @ @ @ six-month-old son , Archie .
Buckingham Palace later confirmed they were enjoying the `` warmth @ @ @ @ @ the beauty of the landscape '' .

The Duke of Sussex will come face to face with the Queen on Monday as senior royals race to thrash out plans for Harry and Meghan's future.
The historic meeting at the Queen's private Sandringham estate will be the first time Harry has met with his grandmother, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge since the issue engulfed the royal family this week, making headlines around the world.
Meghan is with their baby son Archie in Canada, but a royal source said it is likely she will join the crisis talks by phone.
The duchess flew to Canada a few days ago where the family spent an extended festive break in the province of British Columbia.
With the crisis coming to a head, here is how the royal drama unfolded.
November 18 2019
The couple embark on a six-week sabbatical in Canada, where the Duchess formerly lived and still has close friends, with their six-month-old son, Archie.
Buckingham Palace later confirmed they were enjoying the "warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape".


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Mobile app aims to boost reporting of rape in India, where a case is filed every 15 minutes

Women in India will be able to report sexual abuse , seek legal aid and receive counselling anonymously for the @ @ @ @ @ new app set to launch this week .
The app , called Smashboard , will @ @ @ @ @ messages and information stored on the app can not be hacked and read by a @ @ @ @ @ the most dangerous nation in the world to be a woman , according to a @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
Brutal sexual assaults regularly hit the headlines , with the gang rape and @ @ @ @ @ the southern city of Hyderabad resulting in nationwide protests in December .
In 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ rape were registered with the police – one every 15 minutes - yet this figure @ @ @ @ @ a gross underestimate .

Women in India will be able to report sexual abuse, seek legal aid and receive counselling anonymously for the first time thanks to a new app set to launch this week.
The app, called Smashboard, will use blockchain technology to ensure messages and information stored on the app cannot be hacked and read by a third party.
India is the most dangerous nation in the world to be a woman, according to a Thomson Reuters Foundation survey in 2018.
Brutal sexual assaults regularly hit the headlines, with the gang rape and murder of a vet in the southern city of Hyderabad resulting in nationwide protests in December.
In 2018, more than 34,000 cases of rape were registered with the police – one every 15 minutes - yet this figure is still thought to be a gross underestimate.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Labour leadership election: How does it work, who can vote and who will win?

Labour ’ s election walloping has triggered a period of soul-searching for the party and a new leadership race .
In the post-Jeremy Corbyn world , the stakes are high for a party that has seen its traditional working-class support collapse in its northern heartlands .
A new leader who moves too far to the Right to head off the Tories could alienate the young , urbanite voters that have flocked to the party since Corbyn took over .
But a failure to rehabilitate the party ’ s moderates and centrists could leave Labour ripped apart for a generation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour go from here ?
Here ’ s everything you need to know .
How is the Labour leader elected ?
Labour ’ s process for electing new leaders is famously idiosyncratic and a bit esoteric .
In recent years , party members have surprised Westminster by sending in to bat Ed Miliband , who was widely considered second-favourite to brother David in 2010 , and the backbench Marxist Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 .
Only an MP with the support of more than 10 per cent of the party ’ s MPs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .
Interestingly , the rules have changed since Mr Corbyn was elected to include support of trade unions or affiliate groups .
Now , prospective leaders need nominations from either five per cent of constituency parties or at least three affiliates ( at least two of which being trade union affiliates ) which make up five per cent of affiliated membership .
This means that the grass-roots members , especially trade unions , now have much more power in the process .

Sir Keir Starmer has told Boris Johnson he will be a “critical but constructive” partner during the coronavirus crisis as he signalled a break from the overtly hostile approach of Jeremy Corbyn’s regime.
Just minutes after achieving a landslide victory, the new Labour leader spoke directly to the Prime Minister to offer to work with the Government to steer the country through the “national emergency”.
In a short phone call described as “very cordial”, Sir Keir accepted Mr Johnson’s offer to attend a briefing next week with other opposition party leaders to receive updates on the UK’s response to the pandemic.
While Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, did not set out any immediate demands, he has previously called for government-backed loans to be linked to job protection, statutory sick pay to be trebled and for businesses axing employees to be directly subsidised to prevent further layoffs.
Speaking afterwards, a spokesman for Sir Keir said he had vowed to “work constructively with the Government on how best to respond to the coronavirus outbreak."
It came after Mr Johnson wrote to opposition leaders on Saturday to stress that they had a collective duty "to work together at this moment of national emergency."
Inviting them to share their own views and proposals, the Prime Minister said that he would continue to "engage constructively with all political parties on the national effort to defeat this pandemic."
He added: "I have no doubt that - as we have so many times in the past - the people of the United Kingdom will rise to this current challenge, and we will beat coronavirus together.


thetelegraph--2020-01-11--Woman turns new home into animal sanctuary after dozens of horses are abandoned on her land

A pensioner has turned her home into an animal sanctuary after dozens of horses were abandoned on her land .
Roberta Bartington and her husband , David , bought a property with some modest stables in the leafy area in Swansea after retiring from running a bed and breakfast in the Home Counties .
They hoped their life would calm down and that they could enjoy a peaceful retirement .
Now , after being forced to turn their home into a horse sanctuary by the volume of horses tied to their driveway , they wake at the crack of dawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to health , as they live in one of the horse-dumping capitals of Britain .
Gower has a serious problem with abandoned and emaciated horses , local residents say .
Mrs Bartington could not stand by and do nothing , and is now working harder in retirement at Woodfield Animal Sanctuary than she did when she ran her B & B .
She said : `` There is a big problem all over Britain with the horse crisis - we live in an area where we 've got commons that are open to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they live there , and of course they dont castrate the colts and they end up as stallions .
`` Where we live is very , very beautiful , but sadly there are lots of casualties on the roads because the wild ponies come up to the roads to graze , it 's a bit like the New Forest so there are road accidents .

A pensioner has turned her home into an animal sanctuary after dozens of horses were abandoned on her land.
Roberta Bartington and her husband, David, bought a property with some modest stables in the leafy area in Swansea after retiring from running a bed and breakfast in the Home Counties. They hoped their life would calm down and that they could enjoy a peaceful retirement.
Now, after being forced to turn their home into a horse sanctuary by the volume of horses tied to their driveway, they wake at the crack of dawn and work until 10pm nursing horses back to health, as they live in one of the horse-dumping capitals of Britain.
Gower has a serious problem with abandoned and emaciated horses, local residents say.
Mrs Bartington could not stand by and do nothing, and is now working harder in retirement at Woodfield Animal Sanctuary than she did when she ran her B&B.
She said: "There is a big problem all over Britain with the horse crisis - we live in an area where we've got commons that are open to the public to graze their animals if they live there, and of course they dont castrate the colts and they end up as stallions.
"Where we live is very, very beautiful, but sadly there are lots of casualties on the roads because the wild ponies come up to the roads to graze, it's a bit like the New Forest so there are road accidents.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--Bafta nominations 2020: #BaftasSoWhite outcry after all-white acting nominees, and Joker leads with

Bafta nominations 2020: #BaftasSoWhite outcry after all-white acting nominees, and Joker leads with 11 nods

All-American films Once Upon A Time ... in Hollywood , Joker and The Irishman have triumphed in this year 's Bafta nominations , amid criticism that the 2020 British film awards have ignored diversity .
Joker , directed by Todd Phillips , is the frontrunner with 11 nominations , with The Irishman and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood both received 10 .
The most-nominated British film was Sam Mendes ' war epic 1917 , which received nine nominations , including nods for Best Film , Outstanding British Film and Director .
However , Bafta was swift to receive criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leading Actor , Leading Actress , Supporting Actor , Supporting Actress ) acknowledged the efforts of people of colour .
Australian Margot Robbie was even nominated twice in the Supporting Actress category , for Bombshell , in which she plays Kayla Pospisil , and Once Upon A Time ... in Hollywood , in which she has a limited speaking role as the Sixties actress Sharon Tate .
On Twitter , the # BaftasSoWhite hashtag appeared as the nominations were being announced , with people pointing out the snubs suffered by actresses Jennifer Lopez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , missed out for her critically acclaimed role in Hustlers , along with Awkwafina , the actress of Chinese heritage who picked up a Best Actress Golden Globe on Sunday , who was recognised in the publicly voted Rising Star category , and Lupita Nyong ' o , who starred in Us .

All-American films Once Upon A Time... in Hollywood, Joker and The Irishman have triumphed in this year's Bafta nominations, amid criticism that the 2020 British film awards have ignored diversity.
Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, is the frontrunner with 11 nominations, with The Irishman and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood both received 10. The most-nominated British film was Sam Mendes' war epic 1917, which received nine nominations, including nods for Best Film, Outstanding British Film and Director.
However, Bafta was swift to receive criticism none of the four acting categories (Leading Actor, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress) acknowledged the efforts of people of colour. Australian Margot Robbie was even nominated twice in the Supporting Actress category, for Bombshell, in which she plays Kayla Pospisil, and Once Upon A Time... in Hollywood, in which she has a limited speaking role as the Sixties actress Sharon Tate.
On Twitter, the #BaftasSoWhite hashtag appeared as the nominations were being announced, with people pointing out the snubs suffered by actresses Jennifer Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, missed out for her critically acclaimed role in Hustlers, along with Awkwafina, the actress of Chinese heritage who picked up a Best Actress Golden Globe on Sunday, who was recognised in the publicly voted Rising Star category, and Lupita Nyong'o, who starred in Us.


thetelegraph--2020-01-12--Vegetables to be grown without soil by farmers as nutrient root spray technology rolled out

Farmers will be able to grow vegetables without soil after a new nutrient spray technology firm secured funding from the University of Bristol .
LettUS Grow , an aeroponic tech company , has a small indoor vertical farm in Bristol which grows vegetables without soil by directing nutrients straight to their roots .
Now , they are hoping to roll out this technology to farms across the country after securing over £2m in funding for their project .
The farms have automated temperature , light control and nutrient delivery .
The system also collects data on crops from seed stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and use to improve their farm operations .
The firm argues that these indoor farms need no fertile land to operate , use zero pesticides and provide a consistent , predictable and climate-resilient food supply all year round .
Charlie Guy , co-founder and MD of LettUs Grow , said : “ This investment gives us a platform to really accelerate in 2020 and scale-up the delivery of our game-changing technology to farmers across the country .
“ We ’ re seeing rising demand from around the world for new technologies to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the effects of climate change and ever-increasing extreme weather events.
” However , farmers and environmental groups have argued that while these systems can compliment farming , they can never replace traditional agriculture .

Farmers will be able to grow vegetables without soil after a new nutrient spray technology firm secured funding from the University of Bristol.
LettUS Grow, an aeroponic tech company, has a small indoor vertical farm in Bristol which grows vegetables without soil by directing nutrients straight to their roots.
Now, they are hoping to roll out this technology to farms across the country after securing over £2m in funding for their project.
The farms have automated temperature, light control and nutrient delivery.
The system also collects data on crops from seed stage to harvest, which growers can analyse and use to improve their farm operations.
The firm argues that these indoor farms need no fertile land to operate, use zero pesticides and provide a consistent, predictable and climate-resilient food supply all year round.
Charlie Guy, co-founder and MD of LettUs Grow, said: “This investment gives us a platform to really accelerate in 2020 and scale-up the delivery of our game-changing technology to farmers across the country.
“We’re seeing rising demand from around the world for new technologies to help farmers grow crops in ways that mitigate against the effects of climate change and ever-increasing extreme weather events.”
However, farmers and environmental groups have argued that while these systems can compliment farming, they can never replace traditional agriculture.


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--How Rochdale's veteran Aaron Wilbraham stays young: 'It used to be jam on toast, now it's poached eg

How Rochdale's veteran Aaron Wilbraham stays young: 'It used to be jam on toast, now it's poached eggs and avocado'

Aaron Wilbraham casts his mind back to lunch at Stockport when he was a Youth Training Scheme player .
It was a world away from today ’ s health food in the canteen at football clubs today .
Wilbraham , 40 , has seen it all in a career spanning over four decades , with no plans on hanging his boots up yet .
It is training and diet that has kept him going from the 1990s to the 2020s , along with a character that has seen him nicknamed Peter Pan among his younger team-mates , some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started at Edgeley Park .
“ After training most days you ’ d look in the kitchen and it would be loads and loads of bread and a massive silver tin of beans , ” said Wilbraham .
“ At Stockport , breakfast wasn ’ t provided .
As a young lad living with your Mum you just grabbed some jam and toast out the door , you ’ re just trying to stay in bed as long as possible .
“ Fast-forward 20 years and now you have poached eggs and avocado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yogurt and fruits are out .
After training you have three or four different dishes and stuff for the vegan lads and pescatarians .
Protein shakes , pasta , brown rice .
It ’ s come on so much in that time .
”

Aaron Wilbraham casts his mind back to lunch at Stockport when he was a Youth Training Scheme player. It was a world away from today’s health food in the canteen at football clubs today.
Wilbraham, 40, has seen it all in a career spanning over four decades, with no plans on hanging his boots up yet.
It is training and diet that has kept him going from the 1990s to the 2020s, along with a character that has seen him nicknamed Peter Pan among his younger team-mates, some of them at Rochdale were not born when Wilbraham started at Edgeley Park.
“After training most days you’d look in the kitchen and it would be loads and loads of bread and a massive silver tin of beans,” said Wilbraham.
“At Stockport, breakfast wasn’t provided. As a young lad living with your Mum you just grabbed some jam and toast out the door, you’re just trying to stay in bed as long as possible.
“Fast-forward 20 years and now you have poached eggs and avocado, seeded brown toast, all the yogurt and fruits are out. After training you have three or four different dishes and stuff for the vegan lads and pescatarians. Protein shakes, pasta, brown rice. It’s come on so much in that time.”


thetelegraph--2020-01-13--How the world has shrunk for travellers since 2010

A decade ago , an adventurous traveller might have trekked to the world ’ s highest waterfall , toured the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna , or admired the imposing Crac des Chevaliers .
No longer .
The world has , on the whole , become a smaller place since 2010 – although there are a few positive notes .
Eight destinations that have disappeared A few years ago Iran was on the brink of hitting the tourism mainstream .
In 2015 , as relations with the West thawed , the Foreign Office declared the country safe to visit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record 7.3m visitors in 2018 – up from 2.94m in 2010 , making it one of the decade ’ s fastest-growing travel destinations .
That resurgence has been scuppered .
Even before the US killing of General Qasem Soleimani on January 3 , Britain had become embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with the Iranian government over the ongoing detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe .
In 2018 British Airways cancelled its London-Tehran service , describing it as “ not commercially viable ” – a sign that travellers had lost their appetite for the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Soleimani ’ s death heightened tensions in the country to breaking point and on January 8 , Iran fired missiles at two military bases in Iraq containing US personnel and mistakenly shot down Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 , killing all 176 on board .
The Foreign Office now advises against all travel to Iran , a warning that looks certain to remain in place for the foreseeable future .
The removal of Iran from holiday maps is a tragedy for travellers , according to Lois Pryce , who has spent months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Telegraph Travel last week , she said : “ I was ready for hostility , disapproval , disgust , a cold shoulder at the very least .
What I wasn ’ t ready for was the tsunami of kindness , generosity and hospitality that engulfed me from the minute I arrived in Iran .
And then there was the natural beauty .
The wild peaks of the Alborz and Zagros Mountains where eagles soared above me as I criss-crossed streams and wound through the rocky hairpin bends ; the vast empty plains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranians have suffered enormously from being isolated from the wider world but they are not the only ones to lose out .
By being unable to travel freely there to see the reality of this most beguiling nation for ourselves , we are losing out too.
” In 2010 , Syria welcomed a remarkable 8.5 million international tourists – an increase of 40 per cent on the previous year and more than the likes of Brazil , Australia , Belgium , Norway and the Philippines receive today .
“ Aleppo is the sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dislike , ” explained the Rough Guide to Syria , published in 1998 .
“ It ’ s a relaxed , comparatively green and uncluttered city.
” “ Contrary to widely-held beliefs , Syria is an extremely safe destination , with no petty crime , ” added the Bradt Guide to Syria in 2006 .
Peter Hughes visited for Telegraph Travel in 2008 .
“ Damascus is the longest continuously inhabited spot on earth , a fact that lends it an unexpectedly soothing sense of maturity , ” he wrote .
“ Never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the West ’ s policy in Iraq or anywhere else .
Other misgivings were eroded , too .
You don ’ t get pestered in the streets .
You can eat well , if without much variety , on very fresh , Lebanese-style mezes , salads and grills .
Most restaurants serve alcohol .
At one lunch I watched six locals polish off a bottle of J & B scotch.
” He went on to enthuse about “ characterful ” hotels and “ magnificent ” ancient monuments , before concluding that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just over decade later , it is impossible to match these descriptions to a country that has been ripped apart by almost nine years of brutal civil war .
Syrian authorities claimed that 90,000 tourists visited in 2015 , the most recent year for which it has published an estimate .
All flights by major airlines have been suspended and most hotels have closed their doors .
Just about every ancient attraction in Syria has sustained damage .
Some , including Palmyra , have been devastated .
The Foreign Office advises against all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous ” country , where fighting remains widespread , the threat of kidnapping is high and terrorist attacks very likely .
Very little of Egypt was off-limits to tourists back in 2010 , and many cultural tours would have included a trip to St Catherine ’ s Monastery , the Sinai peninsula ’ s crowning glory , built on the spot where – according to Old Testament records – Moses received the Ten Commandments .
Divers might have spent a week or two in the laid-back Red Sea resort of Dahab , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western Desert , a region of dunes and oasis towns , such as Siwa , near the border with Libya .
Now , following years of political turmoil triggered by the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 , each of these attractions is off-limits .
The Foreign Office warns against travel to most of the Sinai region , due to the risk of terrorist attacks , as well as non-coastal areas to the west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta .
There has been one positive development , however : Sharm El @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wilderness , is safe to visit once again .
• When Afghanistan was just a laid-back highlight on the hippie trail A majestic but forgotten Roman city overlooking the Mediterranean ?
It sounds too good to be true .
Unfortunately , the ancient ruins of Leptis Magna sit in present-day Libya , one of the world ’ s most dangerous countries .
Back in 2010 , however , curious travellers willing to overlook its despotic ruler could certainly explore it .
“ My prejudices about strictly teetotal , decidedly dubious Libya were at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colonel Gaddafi that hit you in the eye on the drive from the airport , and which , by law , must ornament every public establishment , ” wrote Annabel Simms for Telegraph Travel in 2010 .
“ But we saw no signs of the fear engendered by living in a police state , nor the hostility to Westerners some of us had been expecting .
On the contrary , the country ’ s long isolation has preserved a certain innocence , a readiness to help and a wistful curiosity about foreigners.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crystal ball-clutching commentators speculating that Libya could emerge as a mainstream destination ( “ the jewel of Africa ” , to quote one Telegraph reporter ) .
However , rather than sun-seeking tourists , post-Gaddafi Libya has enticed gun-toting militant groups and people smugglers .
Today it is entirely off-limits , according to the Foreign Office .
Even before the country ’ s ongoing political crisis began in 2011 , Yemen was a destination reserved for adventurous travellers .
After all , it was here that 16 guests of the tour operator Explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kidnapped in 1998 , and four of them killed , prompting the Foreign Office to advise against travel .
That warning was dropped in 2008 , however , briefly offering Britons the chance to experience Yemen ’ s highlights , such as Socotra , an island rich in biodiversity , and Sana ’ a , known for the eye-catching tower-houses of its Old City .
In 2010 , Telegraph Travel sent Barnaby Rogerson to meet the author Tim Mackintosh-Smith at his home in the Yemeni capital .
While conceding that kidnapping and terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The timing of my visit to Yemen could not have been better : October is a wonderful month .
The mountains are lit with bright gashes of green , brought about by the second spring ( in autumn ) giving life to the terraced fields that contour the hills .
“ The heat , though impressive , is not oppressive and with the harvest in , the souks are burgeoning with fresh fruit .
It also happens to be the season of weddings , so in every other village there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of warriors in their finest.
” Fast-forward a decade and Yemen is firmly off-limits , with the Foreign Office advising against all travel .
It warns : “ Fighting continues across the country , which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and damaged key infrastructure .
Access to food , clean water , fuel and medical supplies is difficult throughout Yemen .
There is a high risk of being caught in indiscriminate gunfire or shelling.
” In 2008 , Diana Preston reported for Telegraph Travel on a journey to Timbuktu ; “ a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbol of remoteness ” .
It began in Bamako , “ Mali ’ s cheerful , sprawling capital ” , and featured Ségou , “ where colonial buildings line streets planted with shading trees ” , and the ancient trading town of Djenné , home to the world ’ s largest mud structure .
“ Wading ankle-deep in Saharan sand through winding , mud-walled streets , we found a place cocooned in its past , ” she wrote of Timbuktu .
“ Tuareg men still wear round their neck the intricate leather tassel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to life-giving water from the sparse wells .
Caravans of swaying camels still trudge into Timbuktu carrying great slabs of salt hewn from mines deep in the Sahara .
Tuaregs and members of the Bella people , their former slaves , make regular journeys there , travelling in the cool of the night and navigating by the stars.
” Such a journey would be impossible today .
Mali has been off-limits since an armed conflict broke out in 2012 .
The majority of Turkey remains safe – indeed , with 46 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most oversubscribed destinations on the planet .
But its southern reaches , nestling close to its border with Syria , have been struck from travel maps in recent years , as have the provinces of Diyarbakir , Tunceli and Hakkari .
Terry Richardson , Telegraph Travel ’ s Turkey expert , says : “ A little over 900 miles southeast of Istanbul , Diyarbakir stands in splendid isolation on a bluff overlooking a long , lazy bend of the turbid River Tigris .
Approach by air and the city appears as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basalt lava flows and deep gorges of upper Mesopotamia .
It ’ s an ancient landscape , one where early man first gathered , then learned to cultivate wild grasses and pulses .
The city itself dates back at least 5,000 years , to the shadowy Hurrians .
Later more familiar names in Diyarbakir ’ s roll call of history apppear : Assyrians , Persians , Alexander the Great and then , inevitably , the Romans.
” Another of the more recent additions to the Foreign Office ’ s no-go list , Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street protests , violence and an economic collapse that has left millions struggling to feed themselves .
The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the entire country , citing “ ongoing unrest and instability ” .
The warning has put Venezuela ’ s Canaima National Park ( made famous as the ‘ Lost World ’ in the fiction of Arthur Conan Doyle ) , Angel Falls , the world ’ s highest , and its miles of Caribbean beaches , firmly off the agenda .
Three destinations that are back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1977 established a policy of Islamisation , before decades of political turmoil and terrorism removed Pakistan from the radars of all but the most intrepid travellers .
Ian Botham , the former England cricketer , once quipped that it was the sort of place you ’ d send your mother-in-law .
Now , however , it could be on the brink of something special .
Imran Khan , Pakistan ’ s prime minister ( and another former international cricketer ) , is committed to kickstarting tourism to help raise money for a welfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended to tweeting pictures of the country ’ s beaches and snow-capped mountains , hosting tourism summits , and , most significantly , cutting the red tape and entry requirements that have the potential to put off visitors .
Emma Thomson headed there for Telegraph Travel earlier this year and discovered “ a place where pagan tribes still prosper ; where marijuana grows wild and common as daisies ; where , in cities such as Islamabad and Lahore , women regularly forgo the hijab or headscarf ; and where every part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bumper.
” “ Ever since Mugabe ’ s supporters began murdering , beating and kidnapping political opponents and evicting farmers from their land – a purge that can be traced back to February 2000 – all but a minuscule trickle of European and Commonwealth tourists have stayed away from Zimbabwe , ” wrote Graham Boynton for Telegraph Travel in 2010 as tourist trade dwindled to an all-time low .
Now , with Mugabe gone , it is resurgent .
Our columnist Griff Rhys Jones visited in October .
“ A country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he wrote .
“ Our entry point to Zimbabwe was at one of the wonders of the world , a sight that turned even David Livingstone into a rubber-necker : Victoria Falls .
Half of our queue at the new international airport was made up of young people with backpacks and baseball caps .
We joined squads of cowled parties in black ponchos tramping off to visit all 17 of the recommended viewing points and then bussed south towards Hwange National Park .
At the country station of Dete we boarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powered by SUV car engines and steered by two properly self-important ex-engineers from the Zimbabwe railways .
It was noisy and the ride was bumpy , but the only danger , we were solemnly told , was from wild animals.
” Iran ’ s growth as a travel destination since 2010 is surpassed by very few countries .
One is Myanmar .
In 2010 , when a military junta remained in power and tourists were being urged to boycott the country , just 790,000 overseas visitors were welcomed .
While Myanmar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya , it has tiptoed towards democracy since then , and last year that figure leapt to 3.55m – an increase of 349 % .

A decade ago, an adventurous traveller might have trekked to the world’s highest waterfall, toured the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna, or admired the imposing Crac des Chevaliers. No longer. The world has, on the whole, become a smaller place since 2010 – although there are a few positive notes.
Eight destinations that have disappeared
Iran
A few years ago Iran was on the brink of hitting the tourism mainstream. In 2015, as relations with the West thawed, the Foreign Office declared the country safe to visit, a move that helped it attract a record 7.3m visitors in 2018 – up from 2.94m in 2010, making it one of the decade’s fastest-growing travel destinations.
That resurgence has been scuppered. Even before the US killing of General Qasem Soleimani on January 3, Britain had become embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with the Iranian government over the ongoing detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. In 2018 British Airways cancelled its London-Tehran service, describing it as “not commercially viable” – a sign that travellers had lost their appetite for the country. Now it’s a no-go zone.
Soleimani’s death heightened tensions in the country to breaking point and on January 8, Iran fired missiles at two military bases in Iraq containing US personnel and mistakenly shot down Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752, killing all 176 on board. The Foreign Office now advises against all travel to Iran, a warning that looks certain to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
The removal of Iran from holiday maps is a tragedy for travellers, according to Lois Pryce, who has spent months exploring the country by motorcycle. Writing for Telegraph Travel last week, she said: “I was ready for hostility, disapproval, disgust, a cold shoulder at the very least. What I wasn’t ready for was the tsunami of kindness, generosity and hospitality that engulfed me from the minute I arrived in Iran. And then there was the natural beauty. The wild peaks of the Alborz and Zagros Mountains where eagles soared above me as I criss-crossed streams and wound through the rocky hairpin bends; the vast empty plains and dunes of the southern deserts. Iranians have suffered enormously from being isolated from the wider world but they are not the only ones to lose out. By being unable to travel freely there to see the reality of this most beguiling nation for ourselves, we are losing out too.”
Isfahan, Iran Credit : GETTY
Syria
In 2010, Syria welcomed a remarkable 8.5 million international tourists – an increase of 40 per cent on the previous year and more than the likes of Brazil, Australia, Belgium, Norway and the Philippines receive today.
“Aleppo is the sort of place that’s hard to dislike,” explained the Rough Guide to Syria, published in 1998. “It’s a relaxed, comparatively green and uncluttered city.”
“Contrary to widely-held beliefs, Syria is an extremely safe destination, with no petty crime,” added the Bradt Guide to Syria in 2006.
Peter Hughes visited for Telegraph Travel in 2008. “Damascus is the longest continuously inhabited spot on earth, a fact that lends it an unexpectedly soothing sense of maturity,” he wrote. “Never once was I made to feel uncomfortable about the West’s policy in Iraq or anywhere else. Other misgivings were eroded, too. You don’t get pestered in the streets. You can eat well, if without much variety, on very fresh, Lebanese-style mezes, salads and grills. Most restaurants serve alcohol. At one lunch I watched six locals polish off a bottle of J&B scotch.”
He went on to enthuse about “characterful” hotels and “magnificent” ancient monuments, before concluding that the country was a “revelation”.
Just over decade later, it is impossible to match these descriptions to a country that has been ripped apart by almost nine years of brutal civil war.
Syrian authorities claimed that 90,000 tourists visited in 2015, the most recent year for which it has published an estimate. All flights by major airlines have been suspended and most hotels have closed their doors. Just about every ancient attraction in Syria has sustained damage. Some, including Palmyra, have been devastated. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to the “extremely volatile and dangerous” country, where fighting remains widespread, the threat of kidnapping is high and terrorist attacks very likely.
Crac des Chevaliers, Syria Credit : GETTY
Egypt
Very little of Egypt was off-limits to tourists back in 2010, and many cultural tours would have included a trip to St Catherine’s Monastery, the Sinai peninsula’s crowning glory, built on the spot where – according to Old Testament records – Moses received the Ten Commandments. Divers might have spent a week or two in the laid-back Red Sea resort of Dahab, while more adventurous souls could have explored the Western Desert, a region of dunes and oasis towns, such as Siwa, near the border with Libya.
Now, following years of political turmoil triggered by the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, each of these attractions is off-limits. The Foreign Office warns against travel to most of the Sinai region, due to the risk of terrorist attacks, as well as non-coastal areas to the west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta. There has been one positive development, however: Sharm El Sheikh, after four years in the wilderness, is safe to visit once again.
Libya
A majestic but forgotten Roman city overlooking the Mediterranean? It sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, the ancient ruins of Leptis Magna sit in present-day Libya, one of the world’s most dangerous countries. Back in 2010, however, curious travellers willing to overlook its despotic ruler could certainly explore it.
“My prejudices about strictly teetotal, decidedly dubious Libya were at first confirmed by the huge posters of Colonel Gaddafi that hit you in the eye on the drive from the airport, and which, by law, must ornament every public establishment,” wrote Annabel Simms for Telegraph Travel in 2010. “But we saw no signs of the fear engendered by living in a police state, nor the hostility to Westerners some of us had been expecting. On the contrary, the country’s long isolation has preserved a certain innocence, a readiness to help and a wistful curiosity about foreigners.”
The fall of Gaddafi in 2011 had crystal ball-clutching commentators speculating that Libya could emerge as a mainstream destination (“the jewel of Africa”, to quote one Telegraph reporter). However, rather than sun-seeking tourists, post-Gaddafi Libya has enticed gun-toting militant groups and people smugglers. Today it is entirely off-limits, according to the Foreign Office.
Leptis Magna Credit : getty
Yemen
Even before the country’s ongoing political crisis began in 2011, Yemen was a destination reserved for adventurous travellers. After all, it was here that 16 guests of the tour operator Explore Worldwide (including 12 Britons) were kidnapped in 1998, and four of them killed, prompting the Foreign Office to advise against travel. That warning was dropped in 2008, however, briefly offering Britons the chance to experience Yemen’s highlights, such as Socotra, an island rich in biodiversity, and Sana’a, known for the eye-catching tower-houses of its Old City.
In 2010, Telegraph Travel sent Barnaby Rogerson to meet the author Tim Mackintosh-Smith at his home in the Yemeni capital. While conceding that kidnapping and terror attacks remained a threat, Rogerson wrote: “The timing of my visit to Yemen could not have been better: October is a wonderful month. The mountains are lit with bright gashes of green, brought about by the second spring (in autumn) giving life to the terraced fields that contour the hills.
“The heat, though impressive, is not oppressive and with the harvest in, the souks are burgeoning with fresh fruit. It also happens to be the season of weddings, so in every other village there are tented feasts, sword dances and processions of warriors in their finest.”
Fast-forward a decade and Yemen is firmly off-limits, with the Foreign Office advising against all travel. It warns: “Fighting continues across the country, which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and damaged key infrastructure. Access to food, clean water, fuel and medical supplies is difficult throughout Yemen. There is a high risk of being caught in indiscriminate gunfire or shelling.”
Socotra Credit : GETTY
Mali
In 2008, Diana Preston reported for Telegraph Travel on a journey to Timbuktu; “a place more fantasy than fact, a tantalising symbol of remoteness”.
It began in Bamako, “Mali’s cheerful, sprawling capital”, and featured Ségou, “where colonial buildings line streets planted with shading trees”, and the ancient trading town of Djenné, home to the world’s largest mud structure.
“Wading ankle-deep in Saharan sand through winding, mud-walled streets, we found a place cocooned in its past,” she wrote of Timbuktu. “Tuareg men still wear round their neck the intricate leather tassel that records their lineage and confirms their right to life-giving water from the sparse wells. Caravans of swaying camels still trudge into Timbuktu carrying great slabs of salt hewn from mines deep in the Sahara. Tuaregs and members of the Bella people, their former slaves, make regular journeys there, travelling in the cool of the night and navigating by the stars.”
Such a journey would be impossible today. Mali has been off-limits since an armed conflict broke out in 2012.
Turkey
The majority of Turkey remains safe – indeed, with 46 million visitors in 2018 it is one of the most oversubscribed destinations on the planet. But its southern reaches, nestling close to its border with Syria, have been struck from travel maps in recent years, as have the provinces of Diyarbakir, Tunceli and Hakkari.
Terry Richardson, Telegraph Travel’s Turkey expert, says: “A little over 900 miles southeast of Istanbul, Diyarbakir stands in splendid isolation on a bluff overlooking a long, lazy bend of the turbid River Tigris. Approach by air and the city appears as an oasis amidst the sun-bleached fields, crazed basalt lava flows and deep gorges of upper Mesopotamia. It’s an ancient landscape, one where early man first gathered, then learned to cultivate wild grasses and pulses. The city itself dates back at least 5,000 years, to the shadowy Hurrians. Later more familiar names in Diyarbakir’s roll call of history apppear: Assyrians, Persians, Alexander the Great and then, inevitably, the Romans.”
Venezuela
Another of the more recent additions to the Foreign Office’s no-go list, Venezuela has been blighted for several years by street protests, violence and an economic collapse that has left millions struggling to feed themselves.
The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the entire country, citing “ongoing unrest and instability”. The warning has put Venezuela’s Canaima National Park (made famous as the ‘Lost World’ in the fiction of Arthur Conan Doyle), Angel Falls, the world’s highest, and its miles of Caribbean beaches, firmly off the agenda.
Angel Falls Credit : GETTY
Three destinations that are back on travel maps
Pakistan
A military coup in 1977 established a policy of Islamisation, before decades of political turmoil and terrorism removed Pakistan from the radars of all but the most intrepid travellers. Ian Botham, the former England cricketer, once quipped that it was the sort of place you’d send your mother-in-law.
Now, however, it could be on the brink of something special. Imran Khan, Pakistan’s prime minister (and another former international cricketer), is committed to kickstarting tourism to help raise money for a welfare state.
Lahore, Pakistan Credit : GETTY
His policy has so far extended to tweeting pictures of the country’s beaches and snow-capped mountains, hosting tourism summits, and, most significantly, cutting the red tape and entry requirements that have the potential to put off visitors.
Emma Thomson headed there for Telegraph Travel earlier this year and discovered “a place where pagan tribes still prosper; where marijuana grows wild and common as daisies; where, in cities such as Islamabad and Lahore, women regularly forgo the hijab or headscarf; and where every part of a truck serves as a seat – even the bumper.”
Zimbabwe
“Ever since Mugabe’s supporters began murdering, beating and kidnapping political opponents and evicting farmers from their land – a purge that can be traced back to February 2000 – all but a minuscule trickle of European and Commonwealth tourists have stayed away from Zimbabwe,” wrote Graham Boynton for Telegraph Travel in 2010 as tourist trade dwindled to an all-time low. Now, with Mugabe gone, it is resurgent. Our columnist Griff Rhys Jones visited in October. “A country in transition is once again pulling in visitors,” he wrote. “Our entry point to Zimbabwe was at one of the wonders of the world, a sight that turned even David Livingstone into a rubber-necker: Victoria Falls. Half of our queue at the new international airport was made up of young people with backpacks and baseball caps. We joined squads of cowled parties in black ponchos tramping off to visit all 17 of the recommended viewing points and then bussed south towards Hwange National Park. At the country station of Dete we boarded The Elephant Express, an open-sided tram powered by SUV car engines and steered by two properly self-important ex-engineers from the Zimbabwe railways. It was noisy and the ride was bumpy, but the only danger, we were solemnly told, was from wild animals.”
Myanmar
Iran’s growth as a travel destination since 2010 is surpassed by very few countries. One is Myanmar. In 2010, when a military junta remained in power and tourists were being urged to boycott the country, just 790,000 overseas visitors were welcomed. While Myanmar’s reputation has once again been sullied by the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya, it has tiptoed towards democracy since then, and last year that figure leapt to 3.55m – an increase of 349%.