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The world's ten happiest countries: perfect for a holiday?

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Ten of the best: happy holidaysVisit Costa Rica


Where are the happiest countries in the world?

The New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index shows that most of them are far from thriving superpowers with high standards of living.

The think-tank uses criteria that are very different from the traditional ways of measuring happiness. Instead of linking it with economic factors, such as GNP, it scores each nation for life expectancy, wellbeing and ecological footprint - a potent alternative to the UN's World Happiness Report, which links happiness to economic power.

What's interesting about the report is its suggestion that the traditional way of measuring happiness - by linking it with money - is outdated.

Explaining its methodology, the group says: "The Happy Planet Index demonstrates that the dominant Western model is not sustainable, and we need to find other development paths towards sustainable wellbeing."

 


Pictures: Rare 'fogbow' over Cumbria

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Pictures: Rare fogbow over CumbriaNorth News and Pictures


Ever seen a fogbow? You have now. These pictures capture a rare and beautiful phenomenon, caused by tiny droplets of mist that are too small to refract light, creating a white rainbow effect.

These images were taken in Cumbria... but apparently they have been appearing around the country, as the UK's current damp conditions are perfect.

Let us know if you have seen one!

Pictures: Rare fogbow over Cumbria
North News and Pictures



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This week's best deals: Reykjavik, Lake Como and Malaysia

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Get four nights for the price of three on a city break in Reykjavik

Taber Holidays (01274 875199) is offering four nights for the price of three on a short break in Iceland's capital Reykjavik. Prices start from £655 per person and are for selected dates from 1 November to 22 December. Flights from Heathrow, Manchester or Glasgow are included, as well as transfers, four nights' accommodation at the Hotel Leifur Eirkisson and breakfast.



Save up to £130 per person on an all-inclusive break in Lake Como

Shearings Holidays (0844 209 7143) is offering an all-inclusive Lake Como holiday from just £399 per person, saving you up to £130 per person. You'll stay at the Hotel Britannia Excelsior on the shores of Lake Como for seven nights with a full buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Return flights from Manchester and resort transfers are included in the holiday, which departs on 24 October.



Save up to £130 per person on flights to Malaysia this autumn

Malaysia Airlines (0871 4239 090) has an Autumn Escapade sale offering fares to seven destinations across Malaysia from £669 per person. Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu and Kuantan are included in the deal and you could save up to £130 per person. Book before 22 October for travel between 1 November and 7 December 2012.

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Very superstitious! Air passengers get impromptu concert from soul icon

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Very superstitious! Air passengers get improptu concert from soul iconPA

Most air travellers hope their fellow passengers will keep as quiet as possible while in the air - but when if you happen to be sitting on the same plane as Stevie Wonder, different rules most definitely apply.

Delighted passengers on a recent flight to New York from LA were treated to an impromptu concert from the soul icon, who decided to do a little rehearsal for an upcoming charity benefit concert.

The Superstition singer was travelling with his daughter, Aisha Morris, on his way to the Big Apple's Radio City Music Hall to play at Paul Simon's Children's Benefit Concert when he decided to warm up his vocal chords.

One eyewitness told the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/first_class_wonder_jJjVw5XUTPJmfnHBtJ5TdP" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/first_class_wonder_jJjVw5XUTPJmfnHBtJ5TdP" "="" target="_blank">New York Post</a>: "Stevie was with a small entourage of four. He and (Morris) started harmonising and softly jamming... We basically got a private concert!"<br> <br> <p class="p2"> </p>

 

Ten ghoulish getaways for Halloween and beyond

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Ten ghoulish getaways for Halloween and beyondBran Castle

There's nothing like a good scare to keep the blood and adrenalin pumping, so put down that pumpkin mask and try some properly petrifying experiences this Halloween...

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Man in giant hamster wheel sinks in Irish Sea

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Chris Todd attempts to cross the Irish Sea in a giant hamster wheel for charity Barcroft

How's this for bad luck? Imagine you're trying to cross the Irish Sea in a giant hamster wheel and it gets a bit windy. And then it gets even more windy. And then the hamster wheel breaks and it sinks you, hook, line and stange contraption.

That's exactly what happened "human hamster" Chris Todd, who has been forced to admit defeat in his attempt to cross the sea in a homemade tredalo to raise money for charity.

It all started off so well. Chris set off from Trearddur Bay, North Wales in calm seas and clear skies.

But after 12 hours in the wheel (and completing a mere 25km of his 106km journey) both rudders broke off as he ran into high winds.

He was eventually picked up by his safety boat and returned to Holyhead marina.

His vessel, however, completely disintegrated.

Lifeguard watch officer Richard Jones told The Metro: " The whole thing has sunk to the bottom of the sea."

Mr Todd, from Wiltshire, said he had waited for optimum conditions before attempting the 48-hour paddle. He spent nearly a year building the wheel, and he had hoped to raise £20,000 for the Royal Lifeboat Institution and Wiltshire Blind Association.

The BBC reports that he is hoping to have another go soon. Watch this space!

In the meantime, if you want to donate, you can visit irishseacrossing.co.uk.

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Picture of the day: Northern Lights over the Lake District

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The Northern Lights have been putting on spectacular displays in the north of England - see  this beautiful photo of Derwentwater Cumbria Keswick, Lake District.Paul Kingston/NNP


The Northern Lights have been putting on spectacular displays in the north of England and Scotland in recent days, and we simply couldn't resist sharing this beautiful image of Derwentwater near the Cumbrian town of Keswick in the Lake District.

According to NASA, the sun is in its most active phase in its 11 year cycle, which is why we're being treated to so many amazing shows.

The lights are usually seen around the Arctic Circle, but a geomagnetic storm has sent charged solar particles as far away as northern England, where they react with the Earth's atmosphere.

Last week, they were clearly visible in Aberdeenshire, Scotland (see below).

Picture of the day: Northern Lights over BritainBarcroft


Desperate to see the Northern Lights? If you missed them in the Lake District, check out our gallery of the top places for Aurora Borealis spotting below.

 

Singer Sarah Brightman to be Russia's next space tourist

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Singer Sarah Brightman to be Russia's next space touristYouTube



British singer Sarah Brightman has revealed she has bought a seat to fly on a Russian spaceship.

Brightman, 52, will rocket 250 miles above Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), becoming the first space tourist since Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte in 2009, and the first British space tourist ever.

According to Reuters, The Phantom of the Opera star said: "I am more excited about this than I have been about anything I have done to date.

"Most of my life I have felt an incredible desire to take the journey to space that I have now begun. This is beyond my wildest dreams."

A press conference held for the announcement in Moscow began with a music video advertising Brightman's new album Dream Chaser, which is expected to be released in January.

According to the BBC, after touring her new album, she plans to spend six months training with Russian cosmonauts outside Moscow.

While Brightman has not revealed what she paid for the experience, the ninth so far brokered by US firm Space Adventures, it can be expected to be at least as much as Russia charges NASA astronauts for the privilege - more than $50 million.

The adventure package includes 12 days in orbit, and Brightman said she will use her mission to promote education for women in the sciences and raise environmental awareness.

According to Sky News, Russia stopped taking space tourists in 2009 because of lack of room in its three-person Soyuz space capsules that take astronauts to the ISS.

But Space Adventures said last year that it had signed a deal with the Russian space agency for three commercial passengers to book seats to the ISS each year as Russia plans to increase the number of Soyuz flights.



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Win! A break at a restaurant with rooms in the Welsh countryside

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Win! A break at a restaurant with rooms in the Welsh countrysideVisit Wales



The pretty town of Llangollen in the heart of the Welsh countryside has just got a stylish new boutique hotel, Manorhaus, which has teamed up with us to offer one lucky user the chance to win a two-night stay in a luxury suite with breakfast for two people.

Each room at Manorhaus, an imposing Victorian townhouse, has been designed to offer contemporary style and comfort. Inspired by the black and white buildings that characterise the town of Llangollen and to emphasise the beauty of the view to the front, the decor utilises a muted palate of black, white and soft greys.

The restaurant's ever-changing menu is made up of freshly prepared local food wherever possible. Whether you're tucking into the Salt Marsh Lamb, Welsh Black Beef or Menai Mussels caught off the North Wales coast, the restaurant focuses on quality and freshly prepared food. It's even been recommended in this year's Michelin Guide and was a finalist in the National Tourism Awards for Wales 2011.

The focus on art and design at the hotel is the influence of co-owner Gavin Harris, who is a graduate of the Welsh School of Architecture and worked on the Getty Center in Los Angeles. This is his second boutique accommodation project, having had more than a hand in designing the original Manorhaus in Ruthin.

The prize includes: A two-night stay for two people in a suite at Manorhaus with breakfast included. The prize must be taken by 31 March 2013 and is subject to availability.

Visit for more information visit manorhausllangollen.com, log on to facebook.com/manorhaus and follow @manorhaus on Twitter.




For your chance to win a two-night stay at Manorhaus in Wales, visit out Facebook page and enter your details before 22 October

Good luck!

 

Family appeal after woman goes missing at airport departure gate

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Family appeal after woman goes missing at airport departure gateFacebook

A 26-year old woman who vanished without trace from an airport departure gate is still missing after 24 days.

The family of Jeanne Rysiewicz (pictured above, left) have launched a desperate search for her after she failed to board a plane with her parents and sister after attending a wedding in Fort Worth, Dallas.

Jeanne was supposed to fly home to Indiana but failed to board the plane, despite arriving for the flight with her family.

Speaking to CBS Chicago, her father Edward said: "We were ready to bard the plane and we looked around and Jeanne was still in line. She was two or three people behind us."

The next thing they knew, she had disappeared.

Jeanne's mother, Barbara Ryseiwicz, who had been helping another daughter who uses a wheelchair, noticed Jeanne had not boarded and got off the plane in a frantic search for her daughter.

When security and police were contacted it emerged that CCTV footage showed Jeanne leaving the airport alone. Her cellphone and one of her bags were later found outside the terminal.

Jeanne has no known mental health issues.

 

Video of the Day: Wildscapes of Wyoming

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Vimeo


Wyoming is one of the most beautiful and least-populated and most scenic states in the US and we think Nicolous Wegner has perfectly captured its beauty and varied landscapes in this time lapse video.

The state's legendary landmarks include Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, which feature in this video along with the Bighorn Range, the Snowy Range, Jackson and Bates Creek, all of which feature here.

Nicolous says he spent two months on the project. You can see more of his beautiful photography on his website, lightalivephotographycom.

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Ten of the best: James Bond-inspired holidays

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James Bond film locations for a holiday, travel locations James Bond moviesLuton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa

To celebrate the release of new James Bond film Skyfall on 26 October and 007's 50th birthday this year, we thought we'd look back at the most memorable locations used in the Bond films over the years and visit a couple of new spots from the latest film...



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Video of the day: See the Northern lights and Milky Way

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The Northern Lights are top of everyone's must-see list at the moment and this video of the night sky, Milky Way, Auroa Borealis shows them in a unique way.

It's the result of thousands of 20-30 second exposures, edited together to produce a time lapse, taken by photograph Randy Halverson in Dakota and we can't stop watching it...

 

Alp-ert Einstein! Austrian mountain resembles famous physicist

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Alp-ert Einstein! Austrian mountain resembles famous physicistRex



A mountain in the Austrian Alps bears an eerie resemblance to Albert Einstein.

The spooky likeness was spotted on the side of the 7,700ft Grimming Mountain in Steiemark.

On viewing the mountain visitors might expect to see nothing more than snowy slopes, but a closer look shows an accurate profile of Einstein's face.

The German physicist's solemn eyes, wispy hair and bushy moustache are visible in the mountain.

The Nobel Prize winner, famous for developing the general theory of relativity and forever changing our understanding of the universe, once said: 'A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be'.

And he could have been talking about the unusual Austrian mountain.

Grimming is not the only mountain with a famous face. Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota features 60ft sculptures of the heads of former US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

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Cheryl Cole spending a fortune on hotel bills

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Cheryl Cole spending a fortune on hotel billsRex



Cheryl Cole is having to splash out on expensive hotels for all the dancers on her UK tour because she feels rude putting them in cheaper hotels while her dancer boyfriend Tre Holloway stays in a luxury five-star with her.

According to the Daily Star, the Girls Aloud singer, 29, doesn't want it to look like she is giving special treatment to Tre, 27, during her nationwide solo A Million Lights arena tour.

A worker on the tour let slip to the Daily Star: 'Cheryl is splashing out big time. Obviously she wanted Tre to stay with her in a luxury hotel, but she didn't want the others to feel put out.

'She decided all her dancers should stay in the best hotels too. She wants everyone to feel like a big, big team and won't let her relationship with Tre interfere in anything.'

Maybe Cheryl will be treating all her dancers to a holiday after the tour too. Here are some secret beaches she could choose for a post-tour getaway...



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Photographer captures jaw-dropping meteor streak across Scottish loch

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Photographer captures jaw-dropping meteor streak across Scottish lochThomas Heaton/Rex



A British photographer may have captured the most breathtaking pictures of the recent meteor shower across Britain.

Thomas Heaton grabbed his camera in time when the magnificent sight trailed through the sky over a Scottish loch.

When the meteor appeared over the UK on Friday 21 September, Thomas was in the right place at the right time and chose Galloway Forest, the darkest area of Britain and the UK's first Dark Sky Park.

Speaking to Rex Features, Thomas, from Whitley Bay, explained: 'I was one of a handful who managed to photograph this dazzling astronomic light show and it just so happened that I was placed in the UK's number one dark spot.

'It was 10.54pm and me and my missus were star gazing at Galloway Forest Park when the largest meteor I could ever imagine seeing flew straight above our head.

He added: 'My first thought was a plane crash, as it lit up the whole area. I quickly realised it was a comet and grabbed my camera to take a quick snap.'

People across northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland took to social media sites to report the bright objects moving across the sky.

Jason Townsend wrote on Facebook: 'I saw it at 10:55 this evening going over Cumbria. It was amazing, bright, looked like a bunch of stars shooting through the sky. Couldn't get me phone out quick enough to get a pic.'

Graham Telford, from Leeds, wrote: 'To be honest, at first I thought it was a couple of planes too close together, but they were all on identical lines across sky.'

The Kielder Observatory in Kielder Forest, Northumberland commented on Twitter: 'Of 30 years observing the sky, fireball best thing I have ever seen period.'

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Win a holiday of a lifetime! Today's trip: Burma unveiled

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Our friends at Peregrine Adventures are celebrating big time! It's 35 years since they started up as an independent adventure tour company, and to mark the occasion, they are offering the chance to win one of 35 wonderful holidays. Every weekday for the next month, one of Peregrine's fascinating trips will be up for grabs, offering you the opportunity to win a holiday in some of the most exciting far-flung corners of the world.



Travelling by road, by air and on water, discover why the country is often dubbed the 'Golden Land'. Starting in Rangoon, a city crowned by the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, you fly to Mandalay, before journeying on the Irrawaddy River down to the fabled 11th Century capital, Pagan. There's also the opportunity to explore the tranquil Inle Lake region and sample the hospitality of the Shan people.

TO WIN THIS TRIP, ENTER HERE! GOOD LUCK!

 

Video of the day: Kuala Lumpur in time-lapse

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Around 150 years ago, Kuala Lumpur (KL to its friends) was nothing more than a tiny Chinese tin mining village. Today, it's the largest city in Malaysia, a cultural melting pot with a population of 6.5 million, boasting South East Asia's tallest skyscrapers, gigantic shopping malls and world-renowned cuisine.

Petronas Twin Towers dominate the skyline, while Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), beckons tourists and shoppers with its own Times Square, a huge mall with its own roller coaster, a giant water park.

We think architectural photographer Rob Whitworth has captured a real sense of Kuala Lumpur in this beautiful time-lapse video.

It took five months to film and a total of 19,997 photos to make it. "My timelapse explores how the city changes from day to night, highlighting how spaces dramatically alter during the course of a few hours," says Whitworth on his website.

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Win a holiday of a lifetime! Today's trip: Best of East Africa

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Our friends at Peregrine Adventures are celebrating big time! It's 35 years since they started up as an independent adventure tour company, and to mark the occasion, they are offering the chance to win one of 35 wonderful holidays. Every weekday for the next month, one of Peregrine's fascinating trips will be up for grabs, offering you the opportunity to win a holiday in some of the most exciting far-flung corners of the world.

Today's trip: Best of East Africa (15 days)

An amazing array of landscapes that include lakes, savannahs and tropical rainforests.

Lake Nakuru, the colourful 'gem' of the Great Rift Valley and its famous soda lake with waters that are often filled with a multitude of pink flamingos.

Thousands of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle graze the plains, while predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah lurk in the background.

Visit Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Kibale Forest and Rwanda's mountain gorillas.

TO WIN THIS TRIP, ENTER HERE! GOOD LUCK!

 

Amazing! Photographer captures unique images from on top of the world

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A photographer from Sheffield has created these beautiful out-of-this-world images using panoramic photos and manipulating them to make them appear as if they are mini planets in their own rights.

The one above shows Sheffield city centre looking rather spectacular - but he's been all over the world creating beautiful perfect spheres.




Adventurer Dan (who clearly doesn't suffer from vertigo) says he wanted to create images that look as if they were taken from on top of the world. Travelling to some of the nerve-jangling peaks of the world, including the Dolomites and Ben Nevis, these pics show some iconic landscapes as you've never seen them.

"I tried using conventional photography to capture this feeling, but even with a wide angle lens I couldn't get all the view in the image," he explains.

"I then tried stitching photos together to create long panoramas. This captured the skyline well, but made everything look far away, so the viewer didn't feel part of the picture.

"One of the most difficult parts of making them is to find the right spot and compose the image in your mind."

Arkle says he spends ten hours or more getting each image looking perfect, and is pleased with the reaction to them - which tends to be 'how is it possible?'

"My favourite is the Ben Nevis one. I had just done an ice climb on the north face, and reached the top as the sun was starting to set. I had climbed the mountain several times before but had always got to the top in mist and fog, so I had never seen the view.

See all his images here:

"

 

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