A Great Dane who towers 2.2 metres on his hind legs is named the tallest dog ever recorded in the latest Guinness Book of World Records launched yesterday.
The giant canine from Michigan in the United States eats an entire 14-kilogram bag of food every day and weighs in at 70.3 kilograms, the 57th edition of the global records book says.
Measuring 1.12 metres from paw to withers – the point between the shoulder blades at which the official height of a four-legged mammal is judged – he is officially the tallest dog ever recorded, the volume claims.
Jet-setting pensioners
Italy’s financial police yesterday said they had discovered 174 pensioners who were picking up poverty benefits while living in the US and South America and travelling to and from Italy.
Police seized 173 properties, 56 plots of land and 59 bank accounts belonging to the alleged fraudsters, who were all officially registered as residents in seaside villages in the southern region of Calabria. According to the police the fraudsters “ had revenues that they were not declaring”. Investigators estimated the scam netted around €5 million.
The “Italian” pensioners fulfilled the conditions for receiving poverty benefits “only on paper” and had “fictitiously established residency in Italy” when they were in fact living abroad.
Best inventions in poll
The refrigerator, pasteurised milk and the tin can are the three greatest inventions in the history of food and drink, according to a poll.
The inventions outscored the fishing net, the plough, the cork, crop rotation and the knife, as judged by members of the UK’s national academy of science.
A steering group, including Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Sir Tim Hunt, reduced a list of about 100 innovations to 20, which was voted on by 45 of the society’s fellows on their accessibility, productivity, aesthetics and health.
Robbie’s clothing range
Robbie Williams was given a warm reception by fans as he launched his clothing range in Scotland.
The pop star, who is soon to become a father for the first time, waved to more than 100 people who waited in the rain to see him in Glasgow. He was revealing the latest designs from his Farrell clothing range before playing a gig at the city’s Barrowlands venue.
The singer started his first solo tour since 2006 with a gig in Leeds on Tuesday.
He is due to play further concerts in Dublin and Southend after Glasgow but his plans could change as his wife Ayda is due to give birth to their first child any day.