Workers in Argentina’s capital yesterday took down a controversial statue of Christopher Columbus for restoration.
The engineer in charge of the operation said the 38-ton, 20-foot-high statue of the Italian explorer will be stored beneath its pedestal behind the Government House and “will not be moved to another location; we are only going to submit it to a restoration process”.
The statue is a political flashpoint between the leftist government of President Cristina Fernandez and conservative Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri. The government wants it replaced by a statue of guerrilla leader Juana Azurduy donated by Bolivia. But Argentina’s Italian community and officials in Buenos Aires say the statue belongs to the city not the government. (AP)
Pub ban for heavy drinker
A drinker has been banned from Britain’s smallest pub because he takes up too much room, according to The Sun.
Adam Thurkettle, who is a 21 stone and 6 feet 7 inches tree surgeon, enjoyed a pint in his tiny local the 15 feet by 7 feet Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, which is listed as the smallest pub in Britain by Guiness World Records.
Landlord Jack Burton, who had banned him at peak times, said: “Adam’s a real gentle giant but on a busy night he takes up such a lot of space that I have to turn away four normal-sized drinkers.” (PA)
Rapper must take etiquette classes
A US judge has ordered Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill to attend etiquette classes.
Prosecutors say his statements on social media have been followed by threats to his probation officer from supporters. Judge Genece Brinkley gave the rapper, whose real name is Robert Williams, an August 4 deadline to complete the classes.
The orders came at a probation violation hearing for Williams, who is on probation for a 2008 gun and drug conviction for which he was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison. The judge said Williams needed etiquette classes to refine his use of social media and to help him explain his business in court. (PA)
Crime fall at Glastonbury Festival
Police said crime at this year’s Glastonbury Festival has dropped dramatically from the last time the event was staged.
Avon and Somerset police said crime levels were 33 per cent lower than in 2011, with 220 reported crimes since gates to the campsites opened on Wednesday.
Those crimes included 61 drug offences and 106 thefts from tents. There were no major incidents on site and a total of 154 arrests have been made. (PA)
Virtual pets to boom by Christmas
Virtual pets ranging from a robotic puppy to Robo Fish are predicted to top this year’s Christmas wish lists, according to toy giant Hamleys.
The retailer has released a list of its predicted best-sellers, topped by the lifelike puppy Teksta, which includes “state-of-the-art artificial intelligence” and Robo Fish, which features an intelligent sensor and performs the swimming patterns of a real fish when dropped in to water.
Hamleys buying and planning director Laura Olver said: “I think we’ve got a combination of newness and the traditional.” (AP)