World famous national parks

Gruesome tales from inside the world's most violent prison have emerged after plans to convert it into a museum. The Maracaibo National Prison, also known as Sabaneta Prison, was considered to be one of the most violent jails in the world. It was operated by the Ministry of Prison Systems in Venezuela from 1958 until it was closed in 2013 following a deadly incident. Sabaneta was severely overcrowded and at the time of closure it was home to 3,700 inmates despite being built to occupy just 700 prisoners. Almost 200 occupants were children of the inmates. There are now plans to turn the former prison, which can be found in the city of Maracaibo, into a museum so people can visit and learn about the historical running of corrupt prison systems. Inmates of the Sabaneta jail in Maracaibo, a city in northwesten Venezuela Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here Like many Venezuelan prisons, gangs of inmates ran … [Read more...] about Inside the world’s most violent prison – where inmates are beheaded in horrid massacres

People are having a hard time processing the fact that actress Laura Dern was only 23 when the cameras started rolling on 1993 blockbuster hit Jurassic Park . Dern and her co-star Sam Neill starred as fan favourites and experts in their fields, palaeobotanist Dr Ellie Sattler and palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant, in the movie. However, a recent interview has stunned fans after the actors drew attention to both their 20-year age gap and just how young she was at the time. Neill was born in September 1947, while Dern arrived in February 1967. With Neill mentioning Dern’s ‘tender age’ of 23 when they began work on the project, he pointed out their age difference as he mused on how thoughts had changed over the years. ‘I am 20 years older than Laura! Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady,’ he explained to The Sunday Times . Alongside the age gap though, fans were stunned to discover just how young Dern was at … [Read more...] about Fans can’t get over how young Laura Dern was when she starred opposite Sam Neill in Jurassic Park: ‘It’s really tripping me out’

Families looking for staycation bargains may want to check out a new deal from Legoland Windsor. That's because the theme park resort currently has short breaks from £47pp - and that includes perks like a second day at the theme park that's completely FREE. The Windsor based resort has launched a huge sale on its summer staycations, which includes both its on-site hotels, the Legoland Resort Hotel and the Legoland Castle Hotel, as well as its partner hotels. Prices start from £47pp and include your overnight stay, breakfast, and a second day FREE at the theme park. The deals are valid for dates from May 23 through to August 31 so you can find bargains for the summer holidays. You can already book on legolandholidays.co.uk but you'll need to do so by midnight on June 6, when the sale ends. Depending on the hotel you book there are also some extra perks such as Kids Eat Free deals, and activity packs to keep little ones entertained. For families who've never been … [Read more...] about Legoland currently has summer breaks from £47pp including a free day at the theme park

Laura Dern and Sam Neill have reflected on their 20-year age gap in Jurassic Park , sharing that they didn’t realise it wasn’t ‘completely appropriate’ until after the fact. The duo delighted fans as palaeobotanist Dr Ellie Sattler and palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster hit as they came face to face with the very animals whose remains they had built prestigious careers studying. However, Dern was only the ‘tender age’ of 23 at the time of her casting according to Neill, who was born two decades before her in 1947, and the actor admitted he only realised how odd that was when he saw them picked out in an article on age gaps. ‘I am 20 years older than Laura! Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady,’ he explained. ‘It never occurred to me until I opened a magazine and there was an article called ‘Old geezers and gals’. People like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery acting with much … [Read more...] about Laura Dern and Sam Neill admit it’s ‘only now’ they realise their Jurassic Park 20-year age gap wasn’t ‘completely appropriate’

This Morning: Dermot O'Leary interviews UK's biggest lottery winners Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The Set for Life draw could provide one lucky Briton with three decades of financial support from today. Tonight, the National Lottery splits from its usual lump-sum structure, but could potentially see people win much more. The draw commences in just over an hour, and has millions of pounds in total hanging in the balance. Related articles Focus can now shift to the vital issues at hand - EXPRESS COMMENT Rishi Sunak and wife are FOUR TIMES richer than Euromillions winners Who won the Set for Life draw? Set for Life … [Read more...] about Set for Life results: National Lottery May 23 Set for Life numbers – have you won?

The number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution has crossed the milestone of 100 million for the first time on record, propelled by the war in Ukraine and other deadly conflicts, the UN refugee agency said Monday. UNHCR said the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide approached 90 million by the end of 2021, propelled by new waves of violence or protracted conflict in countries including Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Congo. The 100 million figure represents more than 1% of the world's population and comprises refugees and asylum-seekers as well as people displaced inside their own countries by conflict — a figure that the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre recently put at 53.2 million — the UNCHR said in a statement. One hundred million is a stark figure — sobering and alarming in equal measure," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. "It’s a record that should … [Read more...] about A record-breaking 100 million people have fled conflicts around the world, says United Nations

If anybody knows where the points of maximum stress lie as monetary tightening collides with epic levels of global debt, it is the man who wrote the definitive opus on the last traumatic blow-up in 2008. Columbia professor Adam Tooze is the rising star of the Davos circuit . His book Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World is a superb forensic analysis of the political and economic brew that led to the meltdown of the western banking system, and led to the Lost Decade that followed, with invidious consequences for Western liberal democracies. There is a frighteningly-long list of shoes to drop as inflation finally forces central banks to do what they desperately wish not to do, which is to yank away the debt shield that lulled both investors and the political class into a false sense of security. "We don't know what is going to break until it does, but there are a lot of reasons to worry, and there is going to be severe stress," he said on the eve of the … [Read more...] about The world’s financial system is entering dangerous waters again, warns guru of the Lehman crisis

A former secretary whose TikTok videos of her incredible illusion cakes have gained more than 8 million likes  is so sure her edible treats look authentic that she challenges fans to pick which items are real and which are baked. Quitting her insurance office job to launch a baking business in 2016 after a birthday cake made for her sister was hailed a triumph, Marian Sarkisian, 29, changed tack after being inspired by a video featuring a banana illusion cake during a Covid lockdown. The internet sensation, who honed her cake making skills on a week-long “basics” course in Britain , where she believes the best bakers originate, soon found her flair for creating hyper-real sweet treats that now sees her fooling audiences with edible versions of everything from candles to sauce bottles. Marian, who lives with her two sisters in Los Angeles , USA , said: “In lockdown, I had a lot more time on my hands and saw a TikTok video with a banana illusion cake. “I love … [Read more...] about Spot the difference: TikTok-famous secretary entrances millions with epic ‘illusion cake’ clips

A British billionaire who allegedly shot his game park manager dead has been freed by a judge on £25,000 bail in Namibia. Tycoon Harvey Boulter, 51, is accused of murdering Gerhard van Wyk, 54. Park ranger and game reserve manager van Wyk is said to have seen red at comments made to his son Gerhard Jnr and new wife Liani and an argument broke out. Witnesses told police Boulter pulled a gun from a shoulder holster and in the ensuing struggle it went off and a bullet went through his hand and into van Wyk's stomach. Tycoon Harvey Boulter, 51, is accused of murdering Gerhard van Wyk, 54. Pictured: Boulter appearing at Windhoek High Court for his bail hearing Gerhard van Wyk, far right, died on the way to hospital after apparently trying to wrestle a pistol out of Boulter's hands during the deadly barbecue scuffle in Namibia. His son Gerhard Jr and daughter-in-law Liani are pictured at the front Boulter - who was a donor to Ukip giving the party £30,000 … [Read more...] about British billionaire who ‘shot his game park manager dead is freed on £25k bail in Namibia

The Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), neither of which have had Covid community cases, are preparing to re-open their borders. The FSM has announced its plan to open its borders without quarantine beginning August 1. Meanwhile, the Marshall Islands has gradually reduced its quarantine requirements since late last year, and the country's top government administrator said Friday it is no longer "realistic and sustainable" to maintain the two-and-a-half-year border closure. READ MORE: Matangi Private Island, Fiji: The tropical tree house island you need to visit Three of the best beaches in Fiji Two Pacific neighbours are making it easier for Kiwis to visit The Marshall Islands, which has since March 2020 closed its borders to travel maintaining one of the world's strictest Covid-prevention systems, is expected to further reduce quarantine as early as next month. FSM President David Panuelo in a statement published in the Marshall Islands … [Read more...] about The Covid-free Pacific islands looking to rejoin the world