World briefs

The son of fabled Everest climber Ang Rita Sherpa has died attempting to scale the mountain, in the first death of the season on the world’s highest peak, officials said yester­day.

Karsang Namgyal Sherpa, an experienced climber in his own right who had conquered the 8,848-metre peak several times, collapsed at Everest base camp on Wednesday, said trek co-ordinator Dambar Parajuli.

“He was active a few minutes before his death. But at 2.30 p.m. he entered his tent and informed the other sherpas about his problems,” said Mr Parajuli, adding that the probable cause of death was altitude sickness.

Karsang, 40, was the elder of two mountaineering sons of Ang Rita, a 10-time Everest summiteer known in climbing circles as the “Snow Leopard”.

Historic flying fish drawing on display

A 300-year-old drawing of a flying fish that nearly scuttled Isaac Newton’s world-changing opus on modern physics will be showcased in the Royal Society’s online picture library, launched today.

The engraving was first published in 1686 in a lavishly-illustrated book A History of Fishes, by John Ray and Francis Willughby, the prestigious British academy of sciences said. The work was ground-breaking but printing it nearly bankrupted the institution.

“This meant that the society was unable to meet its promise to support the publication of Isaac Newton’s masterpiece,” the Royal Society said.

The online library will sport more than 1,000 images from the archives of the world’s oldest scientific institution.

Shark kills surfer

A shark has killed a surfer off Cape Town, South African police say. Following yesterday’s fatal attack, the government cancelled a permit that had allowed a research film crew to throw fish and blood into the water to attract sharks, a practice known as chumming.

Critics had said the chumming could attract sharks to popular beaches, but the department of environmental affairs had said the researchers were working too far from shore for it to be a threat.

A spokesman said the permit was withdrawn to calm panic among the public, not because officials believed the chumming was linked to the shark attack.

Left-handed wizard

A student who has fought paralysis to teach himself to play the piano with just his left hand has performed for a royal audience.

The Duchess of Cornwall visited the University of Aberdeen where she met 22-year-old Paul Murray, who has overcome four major brain surgeries and multiple sclerosis to learn to play the piano with one hand.

Fourth-year student Mr Murray, from Glasgow, performed Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G minor for Camilla after reworking it for the left hand. He described it as his “most nerve-wracking” performance to date.

Wallace and Gromit in BBC Proms event

There will be a grand day out for Wallace and Gromit fans at this year’s BBC Proms after the clay couple were unveiled among the performers at the annual event.

Organisers said their Concerto in Ee had captured the “warmth, grittiness and gumption” of the down-to-earth Northern duo who were created by Aardman Animations supremo Nick Park. The work will be shown alongside their film A Matter Of Loaf And Death, which will be accompanied by a live orchestral soundtrack.

Roger Wright, the controller of BBC Radio 3 and Director of the BBC Proms, said: “This is a way of introducing orchestral music to families of all ages and Wallace and Gromit will help us do that”.

This year’s BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall are being held from July 13 till September 8, in central London. The Wallace and Gromit performance will be broadcast on BBC1 as will the Last Night of the Proms.